Looking for a new cosy mystery that will keep you engrossed from start to finish? Then look no further than Antony Johnston’s delightful new novel, The Dog Sitter Detective.

After retiring from treading the boards and swapping curtain call for caring for her elderly relatives, Gwinny was shocked to find herself without two pennies to rub together. With scrimping and saving becoming more and more exhausting with each passing day, Gwinny is delighted when she is invited to her friend Tina’s posh wedding. She cannot wait to get dressed up, however, the happy occasion ends in cold-blooded murder when a dead body is discovered and her friend is the number one suspect!

Gwinny is determined to sniff out the truth and to clear her friend’s name and she will leave no stone unturned in her quest for justice. Gwinny might not have taken on an acting role for well over a decade, but she shows no hesitation in unleashing her inner Jessica Fletcher and finding out whodunnit. There is certainly quite a long list of suspects to get through, but with two pedigree Salukis helping her along, Gwinny is sure she will get to the bottom of this case – even if there will be plenty of shocks and surprises along the way.

I read Antony Johnston’s The Dog Sitter Detective in a single sitting. Putting this book down proved absolutely impossible as I found myself completely gripped by this fun, charming, unpredictable and exciting cosy mystery that had me laughing out loud on plenty of occasions!

Perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club and Agatha Raisin, Anthony Johnston’s hugely enjoyable cosy mystery The Dog Sitter Detective has got winner written all over it!

This book is the first in a new series with an older protagonist who gets roped into investigating a murder when her best friend gets accused of the crime.
I think this book might have worked just as well with a male lead (for a change in this genre), but the issues of redundancy tackled by ageing TV or drama stars probably make more sense since older women would probably find it harder to find good roles.
Our lead protagonist is only just coming to terms with her bleak future. She has very little to no funds remaining in her account, and she is at her wit's end as to what to do next. She has spent a while caring for her father and is at a loose end. The only positive thing on the horizon is a wedding where she is probably the bride's closest friend.
The groom is a man who is a little too suave, and the reader is given no doubt as to what will happen next. The investigation includes dogs who make their presence felt very strongly and might even start a whole new career for Gwinny. Since the murder occurs close to home, the pool of suspects is limited, and I must admit I guessed the killer quite early on and rarely enough, I was proud of doing that because of reasons I obviously will not reveal.
The people and professions in this book are not ones I have previously explored, making for some interesting reading. The writing is simple and straightforward, and overall, it was a quick read. The set-up established things well enough for future instalments.
I would recommend it to fans of the genre, and would like to try the next if and when possible.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed this gentle murder mystery. Interesting characters and story but most importantly, lots of dogs especially salukis - which I own.

Gwinny is amazing although she doesn't always feel like it.
At her best friends wedding she suddenly finds herself in charge of two very valuable and intelligent dogs as well as a murder investigation.
Our detective works frantically to clear her friend's name and we are treated to a believable plot with quirky characters.

This is a light hearted cosy murder mystery that is perfect fro a sunny Sunday afternoon.

I liked the lead female character she’s a little bossy and opinionated but is likeable and she loves dogs.

This is a great murder mystery with lots of red herrings and a few twists.

I enjoyed the start of this series and i will look forward to each new murder mystery and hopefully different dogs along the way with their own wonderful personalities.

I feel if this series continues it will be an ideal series to Turn into a wonderful tv series and what a great cast of dogs it would have.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a free copy for an honest review

Daft names and good dogs. A great intro to cost crime and a puzzle that all makes sense in the end. I'm sure this won't be the last we see of Gwinny and the hounds!

The Dog Sitter Detective is a fun cosy mystery with an out-of-work aging actress solving the murder of her friend's fiancé. And there are dogs in the story! The dogs don't particularly assist with the investigation, but they're fun to read about.

Recommended for lovers of dogs and cosy mysteries.

I love this story: witty, compelling, and highly entertaining.
Dogs play a relevant role, the two Saluki and the Labrador are lovely and well written.
Gwinny and Birch are a perfect detecting couple: a former actress who's trying to start working again and a former detective.
The solid mystery kept me guessing and it's well developed.
I can't wait to read another book in this series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Retired actress and amateur sleuth Ginny has been looking after her elderly father, when he passes away, she is left the family home that’s been left in disrepair.
While she’s deciding what to do with the house, she’s invited to her friend Tina’s wedding, but minutes before the is due to take place, the groom is found dead in the library.
Amateur sleuth Ginny tries to clear Tina’s name following her arrest for his murder.
She starts investing the murder with retired detective Birch and the two Saluki dogs given as a wedding present to Tina , Spera and Fede, as well as Birch’s Labrador, Ronnie.
Fabulous cosy mystery with a canine touch, well written and easy to read .
Reminds me of Jessica Fletcher or Miss Marple, in that Ginny is a quiet unassuming older lady with a mission.
Thanks @anthonyjohnston, @allison&busby @netgalley for the eARC

The first in a new cosy crime series and it was a delightful read. Featuring Gwinny, a former actress who retired ten years ago to look after her father. However when her father dies she is shocked to find that he was virtually destitute and she needs to find some way to earn money, and soon. Written in a lovely easy read style from Gwinny’s perspective I finished this in one sitting.

Briefly, attending her best friend Tina’s wedding Gwinny is outside in the gardens when there is a terrible scream and barking, very loud barking, and Tina is found next to her husband-to-be’s dead body. Tina is arrested and Gwinny is left to look after two Saluki dogs given to Tina as a wedding present. Determined to prove her friend’s innocence Gwinny, along with a retired police officer, launches her own investigation!

I see a book with dogs or cats, and I’m there! As well as the salukis, there’s also a black labrador which just so happens to be my favourite breed of dog. Result! Gwinny was a lovely character and one you can see growing with each book, a younger version of Miss Marple with dogs, what’s not to like. A lovely way to spend a few very enjoyable and entertaining hours.

This was a solid mystery for dog and cosy crime lovers alike. Gwinny is a likeable lead who really uses her acting skills well to try and help out her friend.

Dogs and a cosy mystery make the perfect combination for me .
Gwinny is broke and in desperate need of money and a job.
She cared for her father and after his death learnt that he was not as wealthy has he appeared .
Tina one of her friends is getting married ( again! ) no expense spared and Gwinny is on the guest list.
One of Tina and her future husband’s gifts are a pair of saluki dogs.
It is the howling from the dogs along with screams that alert the wedding guests to the death of the groom.
Tina is arrested for the murder of her husband to be and Gwinny along with her canine sidekicks makes it her mission to clear Tina’s name and find the true murderer.
There are secrets and deceit aplenty in this who dunnit .
The main characters are likeable and make me want to read more about their escapades
The writing is easy to read and the story moves at a fair pace .
An enjoyable and entertaining read.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley and Allison and Busby .

I have to admit, this is not my usual pick for a read. But what drew me in, was... Well, dogs. Unsurprisingly, a soft spot for me.
It's straightforward detective type of book, where person gets killed and another is on a mission to find a killer, in order to safe best friend, who was accused to the who done. Well, whodunit then?
Plus, it involves three dogs in total, yeah, I know, I'm in for a treat, especially imagining having those goofy canines in real life.
Other than that.. Light, easy and read. Engaging, as well.

I loved that this story’s protagonist/detective is a woman of a certain age. She is down on her luck with an inheritance that was spent and a career in which it is tough for a woman who is not an ingenue to make her way. Gwinny keeps going however, with humor, curiosity and a way with some dogs.

Early in the book, Gwinny races to her best friends wedding where the parking attendant mistakes her for staff, not an important guest. No matter, Gwinny adjusts, changes her clothes and starts to mingle. Then…the unimaginable (tho not to mystery readers) occurs…the groom is killed.

Who did it? Why? There are plenty of suspects and a great deal of fun for the reader as the plot unwinds. Pick up this title for a nice diversion.

Many thanks to Allison & Busby for this title. All opinions are my own.

Agatha Rasin meets Richard Osman with a side of dogs. This book was just so much fun! Beautifully written with a plot that kept me guessing and turning the pages. If you enjoy a cosy crime that's pure escapism, you'll love this.

The Dog sitter Detective is the first Cosy Crime mystery from popular Anthony Johnston.
Ginny is a retired actress who looked after her elderly father until he died. She was left the family home which has much needed repairs but found that her father was broke and left her with a lot of debts. She now doesn’t know what to do with herself and wants to go back to her career as an actress. But who will want her after not working for ten years.
She is invited to her friends Tina’s wedding. Which is her fifth in succession. But minutes before the wedding is to take place. The groom is found dead, and Tina is arrested for his murder. Ginny doesn’t believe that Tina would do such a thing and starts investigating the murder with the help of a retired detective Birch and two Saluki dogs Spera and Fede and Birch’s Labrador Ronnie.
Thank you, Alison and Busby, for a copy of ‘The dog sitter detective’. I really enjoyed this cosy mystery. Especially the protagonist Ginny. This is a great who dunnit. A touch of ‘Agatha Christie’ mystery in it with some humour too. I hope there is more to come to this story as I think it would make a great series. 5 stars from me.

This book is a delightful read for fans of cozy mysteries, but also lovers of dogs.

There is a real golden age feel to this murder mystery and a great deal of fun to be had along the way.

I hope there is more to come in this series, as this book has introduced some great characters. All I ask is for the next book to feature a dachshund or two!

What a fab start to what is clearly set to be a great series of books. Very much in the Richard Osman vein but that’s not a bad thing in my book

Shenanigans Aplenty..
The first in the Dog Sitter Detective series and a perfect melange of characters- both two legged and four - combine for a stupendously enjoyable mystery with shenanigans aplenty. Protagonist Gwinny is mostly delightful and when she is not then it is all, of course, perfectly understandable. When Gwinny makes her first foray into amateur sleuthing it’s really not a surprise but she does so with ease and so it begins. A riotous round of sleuthing, raucous characterisation, doggy antics and a solid mystery provide a firmly escapist and very entertaining read.

Brilliant.. a slow burner that really really was worth it!

Gwinny is an older lady, who was an actress but retired herself to look after her elderly father, when he dies she learns that she/the estate is broke and this leaves her out of sorts.. she does not know what to do with herself.. she is not really interested in the acting anymore and is a bit lost in life, her best friend is Tina, another actress who is determined to help Gwinny but after her wedding.. unfortunately at the wedding the groom is murdered and Tina is arrested and Gwinny is determined to free her friend... while also dog sitting Tina's new dogs...

I think I have fallen for Gwinny.. I wanted to pity her but actually she turned out to be a strong women with a brilliant mind. she is determined and adaptable and really loyal.. she is an excellent woman.

The mystery is great and it is a surprise when the murderer is revealed and the mystery is valid.
I also loved the dogs (and no spoiler but the dogs live to see another day at the end of the book!! which is always a fear when you read a mystery book)

I think I would want to see more of Gwinny and her fledging new life that she is creating, she was fun and courageous and has tonnes of potential.


#TheDogSitterDetective #NetGalley #mystery #modern