Pawprints & Predicaments

Written by Bethany Blake

Narrated by Elise Arsenault

The Tail Waggin' Winterfest is the highlight of the season in the famously pet-friendly Pocono Mountains town of Sylvan Creek. But despite attractions like an ice sculpture display, a dogsled race, and gourmet hot chocolate, Daphne Templeton finds herself annoyed by TV producer Lauren Savidge, who's filming the festivities. She's critical, controlling, and as chilly as the January air. Daphne would like to tell her to go jump in a lake-and as a matter of fact, that's exactly what they're both going to do . . .

It's the first-ever polar bear plunge in Lake Wallapawakee, and Daphne and Lauren are among the eighty or so people who charge into the frigid water to raise funds for animals in need. Daphne makes it back to shore-with the help of a mysterious St. Bernard-but Lauren is dragged out stone cold dead. Now, with her trusty basset hound Socrates at her side, Daphne intends to assist Detective Jonathan Black in his investigation-whether he wants her to or not . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Mar 27, 2018
• ISBN: 9781977373120

Reviews for Pawprints & Predicaments

[master275 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a lovely little cozy mystery. The characters were great and the animals made it all the cozier---except the rat. I'm sorry---I know she tried to make the rodent endearing and cute but I could not get past the fact that it was a rat! Ugh! However - that was my only complaint. Great little read. I had not read the titles that preceded - but will certainly being doing so.

[bgknighton · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Cozy, enjoyable little mystery. Lauren Savidge is murdered in plain sight at the Winterfest polar plunge. A small twist on the end.

[carlathelibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Pawprints & Predicaments by Bethany Blake was a fun story filled with animals, friends, and one of the most philosophical characters I have come across in a cozy series. Daphne Templeton holds a PHD in philosophy, but runs a pet-sitting business and is getting ready to open a pet bakery. She lives in the town of Sylvan Creek, known as one of the most pet loving towns. When a television crew descends on the town, their plan is to make a show that makes them look pet crazy, not pet loving. When the producer ends up dead, Daphne once again, gets involved in solving the crime.

I love Daphne's character. She is not as ditzy as she was in previous outings, but still has her moments. She has a quote for every situation showing her upbeat nature. She is an allover nice person who I would love to meet. Of course she seems to stumble onto murder victims quite regularly. Luckily for her, her instincts are great and she is often able to solve the crimes herself. Of course my favorite characters are Socrates, the basset hound, who seems to be the reincarnation of Socrates himself, and Artie, the one-eared chihuahua, owned by Detective Jonathan Black. Their personalities are hilarious and they are able to assist in solving the crimes unintentionally. The mystery was a good one, and the murderer was not even on my radar before the big reveal. Each book in this series seems to get better. We get to know a bit more about Daphne and Jonathan in this book. I wonder if their friendship will ever become more? I am looking forward to the newest addition to this series due out in November 2018. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book to read. The rating and opinions are my own.

[ethel55_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I would say this is the best yet in a quaint series set in the Poconos town of Sylvan Creek. Daphne's pet sitting business continues to flourish, and her pet-centric bakery is almost ready to open. Sylvan Creek is hosting the area's Winterfest, complete with a Polar Plunge and cardboard Iditarod parade. A New York cable channel is in town to cover this pet friendly town and its' quirky owners. Producer Lauren Templeton leaves a lot of bad feelings in her wake and when she is pulled from the cold water Plunge, she is dead. With a mysterious St. Bernard, and Daphne's every present basset hound Socrates, Daphne sticks her nose where it doesn't belong (at least according to police detective Jonathan Black), to help solve the mystery. Blake's animals are some of the best described creatures around, their slightly human traits magnified slightly enough to be realistic. I passed along the treat recipe from the end of the book to a friend who makes her own dog food, will be waiting to hear if it is paws up after she tries it! I look forward a lot more stories in this engaging series.

[jenn88-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Tail Waggin' Winterfest is the highlight of the season in Slyvan Creek - a small town in the Pocono Mountains famous for being pet-friendly. There's an ice sculpture display, a dogsled race, and an annoying TV producer filming the festivities. Not only is Lauren Savidge annoying, she's controlling and overbearing. Daphne Templeton wants to tell Lauren to jump in a lake. And that's what they're both going to do in the town's first-ever polar bear plunge in Lake Wallapawakee along with eighty or so others who are braving the frigid water to raise money for animals in need. But Lauren is dragged out of the water by a mysterious St. Bernard. Now Daphne and her trusty sidekick, Socrates the basset hound, are going to help Detective Johnathan Black in the murder investigation whether he wants them to or not.This is the third book in the Lucky Paws Petsitting series but it's the first one I've read. I had no problem following along. I felt as though I was a part of this small town. I love that they love animals. I'm a big animal lover myself and have pets so I could relate to Daphne talking to her pets and them giving her certain looks and answering her because, oh my God, mine do that too! The mystery was great. I suspected everyone at one point and was surprised at who the murderer was. Lots of cozy vibes with the fireplaces and warm, gooey cookies and hot chocolate. There are even recipes for our furry friends that Daphne uses in her new bakery Flour Power! I'm definitely going to read the first two books and keep my eyes open for more in the future.Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for an ARC.