Cover Image: A Purrfect Alibi (The Oyster Cove Guesthouse Book 3)

A Purrfect Alibi (The Oyster Cove Guesthouse Book 3)

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I am an absolute fan of Nero and Marlowe as they investigate along side Josie, Millie, and Rose. An absolutely recommended read and love the whole Oyster Cove Guesthouse series.

Was this review helpful?

The third book in the series, A Purrfect Alibi takes place a few weeks after the second in the series. I do like that the first three books in the series take place within a couple weeks of each other. No huge gaps in what is going on in the characters' lives. That was a nice change to most cozy mystery series' (where there are sometimes 5 month gaps in the stories, which I hate).

This book was similar to the others in the series, a fast and easy read. I really like the main characters but we never get a deep insight into them. Maybe that was the plan of the series, keep it simple and light. Sometimes, that is all you want from a cozy mystery. I'm just putting it out there for those who like deeper characters, complex mysteries, and some romance. This is not one of those cozy mysteries. The story was fun, with all the fortune tellers and mediums staying at the guesthouse. And, a ghost in this book. Who talks among the talking cats. Sounds a bit kookie, but it works for this series. I hope there are more to come, I love the Rose and Millie characters.

Was this review helpful?

I missed the first two books and enjoyed this as a standalone. What's not to like about a paranormal mystery that never gets too woo woo even when there are talking cats. Two talking cats! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fun read.

Was this review helpful?

out of the 3 this one might be my favorite one because you got to see the characters come life even more so then they did in the first.

Was this review helpful?

This is a light, easy read, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t also clever and intriguing. In fact, it’s because of the author’s imagination and abilities that it makes for such smooth, enjoyable and effortless entertainment.
We have an interesting paranormal murder mystery to solve, helped on the way by two very likeable talking cats. You have to allow yourself to accept that anything can happen when you read a book in this genre, and so these cats don’t come over as twee or gooey. In fact, they’re sharp observers of this next murder in a series of them.
The human characters are all eccentric in one way or another, which is as it should be in a cozy! They’re as much fun as the puzzling plot and the joyously bizarre setting of the guesthouse.
You get everything you need in this novel to while away a few immensely pleasurable hours in a world where things aren’t quite as they seem, and thank goodness for that.

Was this review helpful?

This is book 3 in the Oyster Cove Guesthouse series and Josie is hosting a psychic weekend in her Bed and Breakfast. Repairs from finding the 300 year old skeleton in the wall are underway and the bank manager is keeping a close eye on the bottom line. Pet lovers will love the cats Nero and Marlowe as they investigate 2 new murders. This is a great cozy series and is a sweet quick read. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I just love this series by Leighann Dobbs. In this book we have psychics, tarot and tea readers at the guest house. They are all there to try to talk to Jed who only communicates with the cats and one other. When a psychic is murdered, it's up to the cats, Josie, her mom and Millie to find the culprit. I can't wait for the next book!

Was this review helpful?

In the continuing saga of the Oyster Cove Guesthouse's deceased owner, Jedediah Biddeford, a group of supposed psychics and mediums have gathered to see if they can figure out where he hid the treasure. A murder occurs, leaving all of them suspects while the current owner (Josie) and her friends try to solve the mystery. The continuing characters in this series are unique, and I especially enjoy the spunky senior maid's character. And, the two cats who reside in the B&B provide lots of interest, as well. The mystery was somewhat easy to solve, but it was still an enjoyable installment in the series.

Was this review helpful?

I came to this series with book two, I still need to read the first one but this picks up from pretty much where book two left off. I would advise reading book two as so many characters from that book are in this one and totally relevant to just about everything in this book.


We are back at the Oyster Cove Guesthouse, after the body of Jedediah Biddeford’s was uncovered (he went missing 300 years ago) a bunch of mediums and psychics have descended to solve the murder or more likely, find clues of his hidden treasure. Tensions are high, Josie Waters - the new owner of Oyster Cove is glad of the business but just wants to get by with no murders, mayhem or trouble.

When one of the group is murdered Josie finds the police and press and her place, business is under threat and she is in fear of her loan being pulled. Her resident cats Nero and Marlowe are at the ready to help the clueless humans as well as a ghost this time!

I do love this wee series, the cats get some chapters too where they discuss the ongoing investigation, the police one and their own. Whilst this may be off putting for some I absolutely love it, I love animals and these two and their wee pals trying to help the clueless humans - whats not to love.

These books remind me of murder she wrote, a fair few suspects along the way, some personal aspects and there isn't gore or anything. Just a bit of crime with some attitudey cats and lets not forget Josie's mum and her pal who do a bit of amateur investigating of their own.

This wee book has everything, murder, secrets, lies, a ghost, investigating cats, meddling relatives, psychics and ever searching for Jedediah's treasure (from the previous book). 4/5 for me this time, this is absolutely a series I will be following and hope it runs for years.

Was this review helpful?

Cozies are fun, and Leighann Dobbs does an excellent job with her Oyster Cove Guesthouse Series. These cute cozies include Nero and Marlowe, two delightful cats who help solve the mysteries. Josie Waters is the new owner of the Oyster Cove guesthouse, and besides the problems encountered just getting acquainted with running it, it seems there are murders that seem to be connected with Josie and her guests. Josie needs to get involved in solving them before her reputation is ruined and her business goes downs the drain. The characters are likeable and believable; subsequent installments will be highly anticipated.

A Whisper in the Dark is the second installment in the series; Josie is remodeling, and the 300 year old skeleton of Jedediah Biddeford is discovered inside the ballroom wall. Of course the discovery sparks interest about the treasure he supposedly buried, and relatives of his from all over swarm the guesthouse and begin digging on the grounds. Finding him hidden inside the wall leads to the assumption that he was murdered, and Josie and her cats, Marlowe and Nero as well as their helpful feline friends are all for finding the treasure and solving the mystery.

In A Purrfect Alibi, One of the guests is found dead on the grounds of the guesthouse in the third installment of the series. Josie is not delighted to have mediums and fortune tellers taking over her guesthouse, trying to find out who murdered Jedediah Biddeford 300 years ago, and also suspecting him of the murder of Josie’s modern-day guest. Josie relies on her Mom and family friend, Millie to help her solve the murder; of course, Marlowe and Nero must be on their toes because they know who the murderer is and must get the message to Josie and the police. The cats believe in ghosts; do you?

Dobbs is an excellent storyteller; the novels flow and keep the interest of readers. She also does a good job of developing her characters. Josie is a great protagonist, and readers will be on her side and want her to succeed. The bad guys are numerous, and are also well-developed. Dobbs makes it so there are several suspects throughout the novels so readers will have difficulty guessing who-done-it. Even though the cozies are light, contain no blatant profanity, violence, or sex, there is building suspense, which keeps the interest of readers.

These two cozies are suitable for readers of all ages, and the cats especially make them fun for cat lovers. The novels also contain bed & breakfast type recipes, making these cozies delightful for everyone.

Special thanks to Net Galley for supplying review copies of these cozies.

Was this review helpful?

Yes, you are seeing double today with a two for one review special. A Whisker in the Dark and A Purrfect Alibi by Leighann Dobbs are books two and three of the cozy The Oyster Cove Guesthouse series and since I read them together from my catch up pile I thought the reviews would pretty much mirror one another so in the interest of me not typing it all twice and you reading it twice I’m doing both in one go.

The Oyster Cove Guesthouse series is one that has a slight twist to the normal cozy formula of a sleuthing amatuer with it’s lead, Josie Waters, sharing the stories point of view with two sleuthing kitties who get to share their voices and also help solve the mystery. The formula is still the same though in which each book has an all new mystery to solve so they can be read as a standalone if choosing to do so.

In A Twist in the Tail we meet Josie Waters who had wanted to completely start over in life after her divorce and get away from her ex-husband. Moving from Ohio to Maine Josie purchased the Oyster Cove Guesthouse, a Victorian mansion turned into a bed and breakfast. After solving (with some kitty help) one mystery Josie has a couple more in books two and three now.

Being one that loves different of course I seek out these types of book that bend the mold of genre norms and being a sucker for cute critters I adored the antics of the resident felines as they help their clueless human (their words not mine) solve a crime. I actually like Josie quite a bit too and don’t think she’s as clueless as her pets seem to think and have plenty of laughs along the way not only due to the felines but some creative secondary characters. So I definitely do recommend checking out this lovely cozy series.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Was this review helpful?

Another excellent book in the Oyster Cove Guesthouse series. A purrfect read for those who love cosy mysteries and for cat lovers, and I am both.

I have also reviewed A Whisker in the Dark, in this series.

This book sees Nero and Marlowe, helping out in another mystery at the guesthouse. Thrilled by the murder of a previous owner, Jedediah Biddeford three hundred years ago, the guesthouse is booked out by a group of psychics, hoping to communicate with him.

However as tensions and spirits rise, a real life dead body is found. As always it is left to Nero and Marlowe to point the hopeless humans in the right direction.

Was this review helpful?

Ever since a skeleton was found in the walls of the Oyster Cove Guesthous during renovations, Josie has had her hands full. In fact, the guesthouse is full of psychic looking for the treasure purportedly hidden there. Even though several of the psychics claim to be communicating with the ghost, it is the crime-solving cats who have met him.Another fun mystery from Leigh Ann Dobbs!

Was this review helpful?

A Purrfect Alibi is the 3rd Oyster Cove Guesthouse mystery by Leighann Dobbs. Released 18th Sept 2019, it's 219 pages and available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats.

This is a cute paranormal murder mystery cozy with anthropomorphic talking cats (they talk to one another). For readers who are familiar with the series, this is another in much the same vein (although the paranormal theme is more prominent in the story arc here than in previous volumes). Obviously with talking cats and the third(?) murder in a few weeks at the guesthouse, this book (and the series) requires a hefty suspension of disbelief. If readers are willing to invest in the story, they will be rewarded with an entertaining light read with treasure, ghosts, and a pack of eccentric characters including visiting psychics and investigative reporter. This is definitely aimed at a readership who appreciate cozies with recipes included at the back. I fully intend to try out the turkey breakfast sausage recipe soon.

The language is very clean, nary a curse word to be seen. There is no explicit sexual content. There is a cute romance element as one of the main plot devices, but nothing blush-worthy at all.

For Kindle Unlimited subscribers; the titles in this series are available in the KU subscription to borrow and download for free.

Four stars. Entertaining light reading.

Was this review helpful?

This is a fun and quirky series and I loved this latest installment. Josie as a house full of mediums and psychics trying to communicate with original owner of the Oyster Cove Guesthouse, What ensues is book full of hilarious characters and an intriguing mystery. Plus I always love Nero and Marlow and how they help to solve the mystery. If you love a great cozy filled with paranormal shenanigans and cats then this is the book and series for you.

Was this review helpful?

A Purrfect Alibi is the third book in the Oyster Cove Guesthouse Series. This is definitely a cute story. I have read all 3 books in the series and this story does tie back in to previous books giving it a complexity that the others didn't have which i enjoyed. I think the cat element is adorable but I don't love the ghost bits because it felt very confusing if I was trying to solve a real murder or a supernatural murder. The Guesthouse had a number of mediums and fortune tellers there which added new characters with some dimension in this book. I didn't feel that the overall story for Josie was moved along at all in this story (for example in her relationship with Mike) but it was an entertaining book all the same. I definitely plan to read the next book in the series!

Was this review helpful?

Feline sleuths Marlowe and Nero have another murder to solve at the Oyster Cove Guesthouse. A group of psychics have descended upon the guesthouse to try and talk to the ghost of Jedediah Biddeford so they can find out where he buried his treasure before he was killed. Myron, the banker, isn't happy about the negative publicity such a group could bring but Josie isn't turning away any paying guests if she wants to get the repairs done and repay her loan from the bank.

When tarot card reader, Madam Zenda, is murdered Josie, her mom, and Millie (the former owner of the Guesthouse and Josie's mom's best friend) need to find out who killed her before guests start cancelling their reservations. Of course Nero and his protege Marlowe are there to help out.

I think this is my favorite of the series so far, because Nero and Marlowe seem to have a bigger role. Not only do they help solve Madam Zenda's murder but they can see and talk to the ghost of Jedediah Biddeford!! Yep, Jedediah's ghost makes an appearance and adds some comic relief as he gets used to being a ghost. It seems he's only been able to take the form of a ghost since being freed from the wall where his body was buried for 300 years.

Josie seems to be adjusting to running the Guesthouse. She's not burning things when she bakes anymore and she's really starting to like Nero and Marlowe. She even acknowledges that they try to communicate with her.

There were so many clues pointing to almost everyone I wasn't sure who did it. I had an idea who the bad guy was but didn't have a clue why I thought it was him/her other than I didn't like them and thought they were up to something. I'm still waiting for Josie and Mike to quit dancing around each other and do something about their mutual attraction.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy to read. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this fast paced cozy. Well-written and a great story! I really like the setting and am enjoying this series.

Was this review helpful?

Those clever kitties are joined in their crime fighting by a ghost this time!
Jedediah Biddeford’s skeleton was found in the previous book and now his ghost makes an appearance trying to find out who killed him. Is there any link to the murder of a medium staying at the guesthouse in the present day?
Guesthouse owner Josie is anxious that another mysterious death will put potential guests off staying with her, and bank manager Myron is making her worried that he will recall the loan she needs to complete the renovations and return the hotel to its former glory.
Once again Josie’s mum and friend Millie are on hand to help investigate while the cats stay one step ahead thanks to the information provided by dead Jed.
I enjoyed the extra angle of the ghost and alleged mediums and psychics. The interaction between the cats and the ghost were quite funny at times. I liked the continuity with the previous books although it would work perfectly well as a stand alone book if you haven’t read the others.
As with previous books, it was fun to see the way the cats view situations compared to Josie’s perspective, and how they use their feline skills to suggest clues to their human counterpart.
The narrative is written in a light and humorous way despite the fact the book revolves around murder! The murder is not graphically described and author Leighann Dobbs leaves plenty of clues around to hint and distract both Josie and us as readers.

Was this review helpful?

A Purrfect Alibi by Leighann Dobbs is the 3rd book in The Oyster Cove Guesthouse series, and another fun addition. Josie Waters owns a Victorian mansion on the coast of Maine. Nero and Marlowe, the resident cats who came with the mansion, are delightful. Every since a 300 year old skeleton is found in the ballroom wall, people come out of the woodwork to find the rumored buried treasure, especially fortune tellers and mediums. When one of the mediums is found dead, they blame the ghost of Jedediah, the skeleton. Josie is determined to find the truth and protect her reputation and guesthouse. I found this book delightful, and look forward to reading the next book in the series. I recommend this book for cozy mystery lovers.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.

Was this review helpful?