Arsenic in the Azaleas

I absolutely adored this book. I would go as far to say, this is my favorite book I've read this year, and I've read quite a few. it was comical, entertaining and addicting. If I had to critique one thing it would be the amount of times she says the word "veranda". I would say, take a shot everytime she says the word veranda but you'd probably be close to blackout drunk by the end. other than that, it was an incredible book.

That was one of the best, easy to read, captivating stories that I have read in a while!! Of course having the animals in there is a winner!! But this was a bonafide, solid story that kept you engaged the whole time. Well done!!!

Look at what the cat dragged in! When her soon-to-be ex-husband left her destitute, Doreen Montgomery is thankful to have a place to stay with her Bassett hound Mugs. Her grandmother’s house is much different than she remembers from her childhood, more run-down and overgrown. Obviously, Nan had neither the money nor the strength for the upkeep before she moved into the assisted living apartment. Nan neglected to tell her that not only is she inheriting the house but it includes Nan’s Maine Coon cat and a large African Blue parrot with an amazing vocabulary named Thaddeus. Doreen has never been on her own and trading the wealthy existence of her previous life, with servants who did everything, to live in her grandmother’s home in Kelowna, British Columbia will be a challenge. She doesn’t even know how to turn the stove on. As if things weren’t bad enough, the cat left something on the floor for Mugs to chew on and closer inspection revealed it to be a man’s thumb and soon officers are digging up a body in her garden. This is the first book I have read by this author and it kept me entertained from the beginning. Doreen is likable and although she may be inept at life skills, she is definitely intelligent. Her grandmother and the trio of pets add humor and warmth to the story. There is also a hint of a possible future romance with the investigating officer from the RCMP Serious Crime Unit, Mack Moreau. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.