This is a very quirky and fun cosy murder mystery novel. The characters are all animals but are human like with animal traits. For example, the fox is clever and wily, the Owl is a tutor.
It is very different from any other book that I have read, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

When a toad and a beaver are found dead in Shady Hollow, the animals’ calm existence is shattered. Who would hate Otto enough to kill him and what is his connection to wealthy Reginald Von Beaverpelt? Herald reporter Vera Vixen is on the case, as long as somebody doesn’t get to her first.

I approached Shady Hollow with slight hesitation, as I’m not usually a fan of fantasy animal stories, but this was very different. It’s very cleverly written, in that the characters are very human, whilst displaying the personality traits we expect from that animal - the Professor of Philosophy (an owl), the shady, small time crook (a raccoon) and the timid accountant (a mouse). The identity of the killer kept me guessing as the plot twists and turns with new events and I was completely hooked from start to finish.

A thoroughly enjoyable read and I can’t wait to get started on the sequel!

A fun cosy murder mystery which just happens to feature woodland animals. Like CSI Sylvanian Families perhaps.

All the characters are a little bit cliche and cardboard, but I enjoyed that and found it charming. I'm already looking forward to reading the second book in the series, Cold Clay.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

It's hard to know how to rate this cosy crime set in a small town peopled (if that's the right word) by animals. I was emailed to me by the publishers with a suggestion that if I like Jasper Fforde I might like this. Animals aside, I'm not sure I see the connection - Jasper Fforde writes biting satire, this is the cosiest of crimes. My other problem is that the book is very much told not shown, a technique which can work but needs a lot of skill and has a great deal of head hopping (ditto) and as a result I did find it hard to initially get into.

A friendly moose runs the local coffee shop, a fox is a sharp shooting reporter, a raven a bookseller in the small town of Shady Hollow where all creatures get on in relative harmony until the resident grumpy toad, Otto Sumpf is found murdered. Never one to let a scoop get away reporter Vera Vixen is soon on a case which leads right to the highest echelons of Shady Hollow society and danger.

Shady Hollow was entertaining enough with some flashes of humour especially around its animal protagonists. Once I got into it I enjoyed it but the style jarred too much for me to read any more in the series.

What a quirky book! Shady Hollow is a small town deep in the American countryside where the inhabitants go quietly about their business and the mist news worthy event is the Spelling Bee. Until that is one of the locals is murdered and his body is discovered by the town's hotshot reporter, Vera Vixen a fox.
The story is a typical one of murder, illicit romance and intrigue but all of characters are animals. BW, the skunk is editor if the newspaper where Vera works. Lenore, a raven,owns a bookshop and is Vera's best friend and the toad, Otto Sumpf, is the murder victim.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.

I have always enjoyed crime fiction and I mostly read a police procedural or a psychological thriller. But every now and again I like to read something a little lighter and Shady Hollow was perfect for a bit of escapism but one where I could still try to solve the crime.

There is no doubt, this novel is different to many others. No humans feature, all of the characters are from the animal kingdom and all of their personalities seemed to suit the type of creature they were. The main character was Vera, the fox who was wily, sharp and clever. She had plenty of friends, a raven ( bookshop owner), a wise owl ( tutor) and a hummingbird (town gossip) were just a few of them. All of them felt suited to their roles, based on the type of creature they were.

It is only a short novel, but I found it fun to read. I enjoyed meeting all the characters, the way they interacted with each other and their habits. Joe and his coffee shop was one of my favourite scenes throughout, I was tempted to look up recipes for his scones and cakes but I’ve managed to resist. So far!

I feel that this book could be read by any age group, it is definitely a more easy going storyline. Whilst there are crimes committed most of the focus is on character development and it is an imaginative way of describing animals living as humans do

Shady Hollow is the first of a series by Juneau Black. It’s a whodunnit type mystery but all the characters are animals. Yes, I know, I know: how can rabbits and foxes live alongside each other in peace and harmony? Equally, why would they wear clothing? And how can, say, a fox and a bear have a romantic relationship? How can a hummingbird talk to a weasel? You have to put all those sensible questions on one side and simply accept that the community of Shady Hollow does function. Think of it as a small American town (a really small one!) full of individuals.

Otto, a grouch who argues with everyone, is found floating in the pond. The body is spotted by Gladys, the gossip columnist at the local paper, who dashes to the office and tells the paper’s star reporter, Vera. Vera dashes to the scene, takes pictures and then calls at the police station to alert Orville, the deputy. Orville discovers that Otto has a knife in his back and so this is a murder investigation.

The book is a standard “cozy” mystery with some humour and a fairly slow-moving plot. The enjoyment is in the characters’ interaction. Lefty, the local burglar and dealer in stolen goods, is arrested simply because the police know he’s a dodgy character. Lenore, the local bookstore owner (who tells a customer that yes, she does have the book Of Mice and Men – “It’s in fantasy”) reads up on detecting and one of the notes she makes is “Reichenbach Falls – bad spot for getaway location”.

These echoes of other books / films even extend to the acknowledgements at the end of the book, where the authors say “We are eternally grateful…”. I’m sorry, but I shall forever see the three-headed green alien from Toy Story when I hear that phrase.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It’s undemanding; it’s fun spotting the resonances with other books; and I was mildly interested in whodunnit. It’s not going to win the Nobel Prize for Literature but there are days when I don’t want a book that demands admiration and that invents new narrative forms. There are days when I want to snuggle down; switch off the outside world for a while; and be gently entertained and amused. Shady Hollow is perfect for that sort of day and, if you ever have days like that, I recommend this book.

#ShadyHollow #NetGalley.

Shady Hollow is a village inhabited by woodland creatures, who all live together in harmony - until now. When local grump Otto Sumpf is found dead his neighbours initially think it was an accident, until the police realise he was murdered. Local reporter Vera Vixen was one of the first on the scene, and has a nose for a story. Soon she realises that other villagers are in danger, herself included, but in a village where everyone knows everyone who could do such a thing?

I was invited to read this by publishers Hodder and Stoughton, and am very glad I took up their offer. If you follow my blog or instagram you'll know that I love a book that's a bit different and steps away from the mainstream, and this one certainly does that.

Shady Hollow sounds like a picturesque little village, full of friendly creatures and with a real neighbourly vibe to it. It's the sort of place that used to be a lot more common, but is sadly fading away over time. The village is so well described, and is somewhere I would love to visit, especially the bookshop of course!

The story is very much a cosy mystery - yes there is mention of murder but the authors steer away from going into any gory details. Vera Vixen and some of the other characters are facing danger, but it's not an edge of your seat thriller sort of book. It's one you could definitely consider reading with older children.

I enjoyed getting to know the residents of Shady Hollow, and starting to learn about their personalities and friendships. Although on the surface everyone seems friendly, as you get to know the creatures you begin to see that there are lots of hidden secrets.

I thought this was a lot of fun, and there's some great humour running through the story. I've already put in my NetGalley request for book 2, Cold Clay, so look out for a review of the follow up. This is a series I'll definitely be following.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is possibly the most unusual book I've read in a while. It's a small town cozy mystery, except that the residents of the small town are woodland creatures. Or at least creatures that you would find in a north American woodland. Apart from that, there are the usual staples of cozy crime - a local reporter (who is a fox), a bookshop (owned by a raven), police officers (who are bears) and a murder victim (a toad). Think Jasper Fforde's Nursery Crime series, but more cozy crime than comic crime. I'm still not quite sure how the differing scales of the animals works - is it more Animals of Farthingwood or Arthur the Aardvark? - or how the interspecies relationships work, but I read it and enjoyed it and would happily read the next one. This is the first in a series that was originally published in 2015 but is now being republished - this came out last week and the next one is out in early March and the third (and final so far) follows in April.

Cosy crime in a town inhabited by animals - it sounds a little surreal but it was absorbing and easy to read! Some of the animals have mysterious pasts before they came to Shady Hollow and they all have different traits according to type which relate to the story. I'm a particular fan of Lenore the raven who runs a bookshop, and of course the star investigative reporter Vera Vixen.

A story that defies categorising

I had to try to like this, I think it’s aimed at the over ten year olds market, yet it also had many adult references and some vocabulary that would completely miss the mark for a child. It’s inconsistent, and even though it comes with a suggestion to consider the characters as adults with animal traits, they also ARE animals. Why is a fox scared of a sheep, how can a bird pick up a glass bottle, they all speak perfect English, and apparently are all the same size apart from when they aren’t. They have feathers, fur, yet the problem of no opposable thumbs never crops up. The style of writing is marginally childish, it’s a YA five star, an adult, not so much.

This is something I would not usually read but it was delightful. It took me a little while to adjust to the idea that all the characters were animals but what a clever idea. I also loved the mystery element. It's quirky and different and a lovely read. This is the great thing about books on Netgalley, being introduced to reads I would not usually pick up so my thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Described as ‘Beatrix Potter crossed with Agatha Christie’, this first book in the Shady Hollow series seemed right up my street, and I was right! You could also throw in Zootopia, and Beverley Nichols’ Magic Woodland series, but aimed at an adult, mystery-reading audience.

Classic murder mystery tropes of dodgy business dealings, unhappy neighbours, suspicious incomers and secret liaisons are delightfully refreshed and invigorated by the clever hook of having all of the characters as anthropomorphic animals. So we follow journalist Vera Vixen as she investigates the murder of literal toad and all-round unpopular citizen, Otto Slumpf, helped or hindered by police bears, belligerent beavers and a clever, book-loving bird.

I was completely unable to guess at who the murderer might be, despite the relatively small community, as there is plenty going on in Shady Hollow – lots of secrets to uncover! – but I thoroughly enjoyed being along for the ride as this unique and well-written murder mystery played out.

I was thoroughly hooked in by the side characters we meet along the way, and desperate to know more about Sun Li, Lenore, Chitters, BW, Joe and Orville (and everyone else too!). Luckily, books two and three in the series are coming out in March and April, so I don’t have long to wait before I can follow the book covers from Joe’s Mug to the Herald Offices, then on to Nevermore Books, accompanying the quick, coffee-fuelled fox as she attempts to unveil more murderers hiding in their peaceful furred-and-feathered midst.

Great fun for cosy mystery fans who are dying for something a little different!


'Shady Hollow is a tale of woodland creatures, and from time to time the contemplative reader may pause to wonder precisely how a town functions with foxes and rabbits as tenants of the same building, or how a mouse and a moose can chat eye to eye. Keep in mind, gentle reader, that this is a work of fiction. The characters’ resemblances to real creatures, alive or cruelly murdered, is incidental indeed. For those who feel compelled to resolve this issue before continuing with the story, you may wish to think of the characters merely as humans with particularly animalistic traits… in other words, just like you and me.

With that guidance, welcome to Shady Hollow.'

– Juneau Black, Authors note from Shady Hollow


Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

This is a really enjoyable read. Cosy crime at its best with a whole host of loveable characters, rogues and all! The story is so well written and such a pleasure to read.

This book is so much fun. It’s bonkers, but in the best possible way. I’m not usually a big fan of stories for adults featuring animals, but I’m so glad that I gave Shady Hollow a shot, and now I can’t wait for book two in March. Imagine this as a classic murder mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie in terms of pacing, but with the most charmingly odd animal characters you can think of. Vera Vixen is the new reporter in town, so she ends up pulled into the investigation when the local toad is found dead – and the beaver mayor is poisoned.

It’s a short novel, around 200 pages, and thus makes for a very fast read. It is written in a light and humorous style, which is very hard to put down – my goal was to read 50 pages, do a chore, rinse and repeat… but I didn’t manage because I’m weak and the book is fun. It’s the kind of wholesome read that cheers you up and makes a gloomy day better. And it would make a wonderful animated feature *cough cough, Netflix, listen up*. While it is sold as an adult novel, I think it is ultimately a family-friendly book, and would be appropriate for readers around twelve and up – there is no graphic content or similar and it is relatively light and fluffy – so… FAMILY BOOK CLUB TIME!

The book has me smiling from the get go with the clever cast of characters who inhabit Shady Hollow, far from the hustle and bustle of the cities. Here woodland creatures from the teeniest mouse to large bears and a moose live mostly harmoniously. At its heart is the sawmill, overseen by its wealthy owner Reginald von Beaverpelt. One day, the peace is shattered when humming bird Gladys Honeysuckle, the town gossip, makes a startling discovery. Otto Sumpf, a curmudgeonly loner of a toad is belly up and quite, quite dead. Vero Vixen, The Herald’s ace reporter and who has a real nose for story, overhears Gladys and off she goes to investigate. Stop the press, Vero has a scoop! Otto has been murdered and this is just the start of Shady Hollows problems.

I so enjoy this mixture of a cozy mystery murder with humour and a fantastical concept. I love the woodland characters especially Vera, who is smart with a twitchy nose for the truth but there are plenty of others also to like. Lenore the Raven who owns the bookshop is a good loyal pal to Vera and there’s Joe the Moose who owns the coffee shop keeping everyone’s caffeine and sugar levels topped up and Sun Li the giant panda who owns the Bamboo Patch restaurant. You actually forget they’re woodland creatures as they have their own personalities and you just happily go with the flow.

It’s vivid, colourful, delightful and clever. It is a read that would appeal to most age groups (there is a murder so maybe not little ones!) as there are things to make everyone smile at some of the smart allusions. Some things make me smile, others a chuckle and some a real laugh out loud!! It has all the ingredients you’d expect from this genre with some surprises along the way.

Overall, it’s different, as it’s a sort of Beatrix Potter meets a ‘cozy’ with extra pepperings of humour giving it a fantastical charm and quirk all of its own. I’m looking forward to the second instalment of this entertaining series!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

A toad is dead in the water with a knife in his back, and a vixen, a raven and a brown bear set out to solve the murder. Is it connected to the nearby sawmill, owned by a beaver and staffed by mice and chipmunks, or to the local coffee shop, run by a moose? Is the usual suspect, Lefty the racoon, involved? Or perhaps the mysterious, recently arrived, panda? As you can tell from this, Shady Hollow is not an average village. The vixen, Vera, is a hot shot reporter for the local paper and it is she who does most of the investigating, which mainly consists of interviewing assorted creatures and learning essentially nothing from any of them. However, she does pick up some physical clues and eventually solves the mystery.
The structure of the book is clearly that of a cosy crime, although it lacks plot twists of any complexity. It is an easy read and proceeds quite quickly. Because the cast of characters are anthropomorphic, it will probably be compared to works by Jasper Fforde but it lacks that level of style and humour in the plotting and the language. It is too whimsical and feels closer to Beatrix Potter or Enid Blyton. Which leaves me with a dilemma because I can’t identify its audience. I’d guess pre-teen but it seems to be marketed at adults. Maybe it’s just me!
I’m splitting the difference in the rating.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

A light whimsical read, I enjoyed it as a cozy crime read but the characters felt a little generic. Which I know sounds odd as they were creatures but I think that it had so much unrealised potential.

this is not something that i would usually read but i'm glad i did because it was so unique, i really enjoyed the mystery and the fact that the characters are animals! i totally recommend this.

One thing the author of this book is not short on is imagination. What a cracking idea for a book. I don't usually like cosy mysteries but this one was so different it grabbed me .great book, lovely way to spend some time.