After some setbacks in her personal life, (the usual - cheating fiancé, business gone, money problems), Ally finds herself back in her hometown and taking over a veterinary practice from a retiring vet. It’s not all bad, since she gets to reunite with her grandfather who is still recovering from hip surgery. She is trying to build up her practice, but it seems that most people are still wanting the old vet. She is adding to her income by offering grooming and dog walking services, which is how she stumbles across the dead body of one of her clients. This is an exciting cozy, filled with all the best things: an animal-loving vet, her quirky but lovable Gramps, dogs and cats, and a handsome detective. Yes, with the widows chasing Gramps and Elly’s attraction to her old classmate, now detective, romance is in the air. Especially delightful is Amanda, the young girl bringing all sorts of strays and wild animals. The story is well written, and peopled with well-developed characters, including the animals. The series holds much promise, if the rest of it is as good as this one. The audio version, superbly narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya, was especially delightful. ( )

A fun new series about a struggling vet and her feisty gramps who become embroiled in murder when Ally finds the victim when she shows up for to walk his boxer Roxy. No job is too small for her and that includes solving a murder when she clashes with the detective in charge of the case, a former high school annoyance that might not be as annoying as she remembers. ( )

This was fun surprise and good debut in a new mystery series. Vet Ally Winter is starting over in Willow Bluff, Wisconsin, thankfully able to buy out the local, retiring vet's practice. Her grandfather lives nearby and is a true true crime aficionado. Ally is willing to do dog walking to get her business off the ground and when she arrives to walk a boxer, finds the owner deceased. Roxy, a boxer, takes on a role of co-sleuth with Ally and her grandpa. I liked the small-town atmosphere and many of the secondary characters were a hoot. I also appreciated the fact that Ally had to take time for her new clinic, something that often falls by the wayside in cozy mysteries. ( )

Ally Winter is a veterinarian who had her life savings stolen by her fiancé, who ran off with their vet assistant. In order to keep her head above water, she sold everything she owned and bought out the vet practice in her home town of Willow Bluff, Wisconsin; and also to be nearer to her grandfather, who recently had hip surgery.

When she goes to see her grandfather at his residence, Legacy House, she hears him arguing with a man who dashes past her and out of the house. She finds out that he's an attorney who wanted the other residents -- all elderly women who have their eye on Gramps -- to set up financial trusts. Ally is struggling for clients and is happy when someone wants her to walk their dog daily for a week -- but she's surprised when it's the attorney, Marty Shawlin; but he paid in advance so she's not saying a word.

The next day she goes to pick up his boxer, Roxy, and is stunned when she finds him dead. Calling the police also gives her a surprise when she sees that the detective in charge is none other than Noah Jorgensen, a football player she once had a crush on. But for now, she vows to keep Roxy with her and safe until Marty's ex-wife can contact her.

Still, when her gramps is questioned, she's not happy. She's even doubly unhappy when he demands an a lawyer -- all because he's hooked on true crime books and Dateline on television. Gramps thinks it makes him a better detective than Noah, and Ally is forced to go along with whatever Gramps is going to do anyway, just to keep him safe. But when Ally has someone attack her business that puts her in danger, she realizes that if they don't find the killer, the killer is going to find her...

This is the first in a new series and I found it delightful. It's not high literature, nor is it supposed to be. It's a fun, bright, cozy mystery that centers around a veterinarian and her grandfather, who is a hoot. The elderly man thinks he's more like Sam Spade all because he watches real life crime on television and reals true crime books. He drags Ally into his schemes, which causes tension with the real life detective. (Got that?) Anyway, it's a hilarious run around town, with Gramps and Roxy in tow, questioning people and watching him work his magic on the women he meets.

Which brings us to the widows he lives with who are all trying to get his attention -- and if that means going through Ally, then so be it. Not that she wants it; but she's got to be in contact with them, so she reluctantly is drawn into their circle, too.

But when the murderer discovers what's going on, they target Ally and she starts to realize she's in real danger. She notifies Noah of everything -- which I heartily approve of, by the way. I absolutely hate it when the protagonist learns something and then refuses to contact the police to give them the information (who would do that in real life?) So Ally has to work with Noah, which she finds a bit humiliating, considering her past, but does anyway.

Ally's life is one stumbling block after another, and she's a bit accident-prone; but she's fun to be around, and I love all the characters in this book. I would love it more if Ally would also get a cat, but we can't have everything, I guess. When the ending comes and the murderer is revealed, we know the clues are there, but the climax is different, and worth reading. A new mystery series that I will continue to read, and I enjoyed it immensely. Recommended. ( )

Dogged by Death is the debut of A Furry Friends Mystery series. I enjoyed this entertaining new cozy mystery. I laughed often while reading it. Ally Winter is a solid protagonist and I just love Gramps. He is a hoot. Roxy, Marty Shawlin’s dog, is smart and such a sweetie. The secondary characters are a great addition. The Willow Bluff Widows who live with Gramps at Willow Bluff Legacy House, an assisted living facility, nicely round out the cast along with Noah Jorgensen. I am glad the author took the time to establish the characters (characters can make or break a series). The mystery was fun to follow thanks to Gramps and Ally. I did feel that we really do not get to know the suspects. I understand why they are suspects, but the emotions were lacking. Readers should have no problem solving the whodunit before the reveal. There is repetition of case details and I wish the whodunit had been more of a challenge. I love how Ally and Gramps would “share” their information with Noah. Noah was always finding them in compromising situations. He has a facial twitch that was getting out of control by the end of the investigation (he found Gramps to be a challenge). Dogged by Death moved along at a quick pace with good dialogue and plenty of humor. I am looking forward to Tailing Trouble when it comes out next year. Dogged by Death is a tail wagging delight with a septuagenarian sleuth, a benevolent veterinarian, willing widows, a bright boxer, an enduring detective, and a cruel killer. ( )