Book reviews: 3 cozy animal mysteries
Cat on a Hot Tin Woof: A Chet & Bernie Mystery by Spencer Quinn. Minotaur Books, 2026. Hardcover, 320 pages.
Two of my favorite detectives are back. Chet, the canine half of this team, and his human private investigator partner Bernie Little take on a missing person case. But to Chet’s dismay, the missing “purr-son” is a cat — and not just any cat. Feline internet star Miss Kitty has been missing for a few days, and it is up to Chet and Bernie to find her before her online fans become aware she is missing.
For Bitty, the girl who made Miss Kitty an internet diva complete with sponsorships and an agent, the feline’s loss is both personal and financial. Bitty and her single mom were struggling financially before Miss Kitty became a star. The clock is ticking, and, with Chet narrating the story, the author once again has written a witty and suspenseful novel, the 16th in this series that never disappoints.
Die Another Dane: A Melanie Travis Canine Mystery by Laurien Berenson. Kensington Books, 2025. Hardcover, 288 pages.
There never seems to be enough time to rest for amateur sleuth Melanie Travis. Her standard poodles and family — not to mention all the homicides she stumbles across in her small town — keep her more than busy.
In Die Another Dane, the 31st installment in Laurien Berenson’s popular series, Melanie has her hands full when her son Kevin becomes obsessed with Great Danes. Melanie and Kevin meet a local Great Dane expert, Audrey. Knowing of Melanie’s penchant for solving crimes, she asks for help in finding a missing brooch — and so begins another murder case when Audrey is found dead with more than the usual number of suspects.
The charm, aside from all the canine characters, is following Melanie — part Miss Marple, part Jessica Fletcher — as she unravels the clues and solves the crime in this cozy series.
Probable Caws: A Meg Langslow Mystery by Donna Andrews. Minotaur Books, 2026. Hardcover, 304 pages.
With the publication of Probable Caws, the 39th entry in the Meg Langslow series, Donna Andrews has to be one of the hardest working writers of animal-themed mysteries. In addition to being prolific, she consistently turns out funny, thoughtful cozies, and Probable Caws is no exception.
Meg is trying to get some blacksmithing done when she receives a disturbing call from her father about the plight of several rescued horses temporarily sheltered on her friend’s estate. Caught in the middle of a dispute between heirs of the estate, Meg believes that the horses are in danger. And, of course, she is correct when someone with evil intentions turns up dead.
Although the author has written almost 40 Meg Langslow mysteries, the series never grows stale, as her loyal readers will attest.
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