A Taste Fur Murder by Dixie Lyle Series: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot #1
Published by St. Martin's Press on 2/25/14
Genres: Cozy Mystery, Paranormal mystery
Format: eARC
Source: the publisher through NetGalley
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Also in this series: To Die Fur, Marked Fur Murder
Also by this author: To Die Fur, Marked Fur Murder
Introducing an animal-loving Gal Friday with a telepathic cat, a shapeshifting dog, and a ghost of a chance of solving supernatural crime…
Meet Deirdre “Foxtrot” Lancaster. Trusted employee of eccentric zillionairess Zelda Zoransky, Foxtrot manages a mansion, a private zoo, and anything else that strikes her boss’s fancy. Her job title is Administrative Assistant, but chaos handler would be more accurate. Especially after she glimpses a giant ghost-beast in Zelda’s pet cemetery. For some strange reason, Foxtrot is seeing animal spirits. And, ready or not, the fur’s about to hit the fan…
Still reeling, Foxtrot comes home to find her cat, Tango—her dead cat Tango—alive and well and communicating telepathically. But that’s not all: There’s an ectoplasmic dog named Tiny who changes breeds with a shake of his tail…and can sniff out a clue like nobody’s business. So when a coworker drops dead while organizing closets, Tiny is on the case. Can Foxtrot and her new companions ferret out the killer among a menagerie of suspects—human and otherwise—before death takes another bite?
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Review
Take one reincarnated cat, one ghostly dog, a haunted animal graveyard, an extremely competent general factotum, and a zany house party. Add a large helping of mystery, a dollop of murder, a leavening of humor, and an unusual take on animal afterlife. Stir vigorously. The result is Dixie Lyle’s delightful debut paranormal cozy mystery, A Taste Fur Murder.
Lyle has chosen a unique premise for her new series, but it works. There’s plenty of tension, enough humor in the right places to lighten things up, and the mystery is sufficiently puzzling to keep the reader interested. Foxtrot’s first-person narration allows us into her head — a good choice, since in addition to letting us see her feelings and deductions, it gives us access to her telepathic communication with Tango and Tiny.
I really like Foxtrot. She’s smart but not always wise; she’s very competent at her job but a bit unsure when it comes to her personal relationships. Her sense of humor helps her regain her bearings when her entire worldview is upended and she is drafted by supernatural powers to save a pet graveyard. But the humor is never overplayed, and the scene where she finally stops holding Tango at a distance almost made me cry. I couldn’t help thinking of my own childhood cat and how I would feel if he could come back to me.
It’s not a perfect book. Two of the crucial clues come only toward the end, and Foxtrot (and Lyle) withhold one of them because it would be too much of a giveaway. As a reader who prefers the Christie style of fairness, where all clues are given as the detective encounters them (though they may appear insignificant or be hidden among red herrings), I did find that slightly irritating. But the mystery as a whole is well-plotted, and certainly makes for a fun and entertaining read.
Overall, I really enjoyed A Taste Fur Murder. The secondary characters are eccentric and interesting, from Tango,Tiny, and the denizens of the animal graveyard to ZZ, Foxtrot’s wealthy employer, and her assorted employees and house guests. There’s even a hint of a possible romance between Foxtrot and another character. I’m looking forward to seeing where that goes, and what other mysteries will come along to challenge the team. Book two, To Die Fur, comes out on Aug. 26 of this year.
Oh, and by the way, if you’re wondering where Whiskey comes into it (the series is called Whiskey, Tango & Foxtrot Mysteries)… well, you’ll just have to read the book!
Rating: 4 stars
Book Links: Goodreads Amazon Barnes & Noble Kobo
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot series (in order):
1. A Taste Fur Murder (this review)
2. To Die Fur (review)
3. Marked Fur Murder (forthcoming 3/31/15)
Challenges:
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- Cruisin' Thru the Cozies 2014
Jan @ Notes from a Readerholic
This sounds like a fun mystery, Lark. I don’t like withholding clues either, but I’ve put the book on my TBR list. I think I may try it. Thanks for a great review.
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
It really is fun. And I have to say that Foxtrot only withholds a clue for about three pages, maybe five at the most. It’s something she doesn’t think to check on until toward the end of the book.
Bea
Oh, that withholding of essential clues. I don’t like it either. But forewarned is good and it sounds enjoyable otherwise. Good review, thanks.
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
Like I said to Jan, it’s only withheld for a few pages toward the end, and I don’t really see how the author could have avoided it without losing too much suspense at the end. So I’m cutting her some slack on that one!
kimbacaffeinate
This sounds good, and I adore the cover and all those shades of blue. The paranormal twist has me curious. Wonderful review Lark!
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
Thanks, Kimba! I had a lot of fun with this one; I’m looking forward to the next book.
Stephanie
Combining a paranormal mystery with a pet mystery with a cozy mystery = awesome. I’m glad there are authors out there thinking about these things! Sounds like a fun and cozy read. Great review!
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
That was my thought, and it lived up to my hopes, which isn’t always the case. So now I have a new series to follow!
Pamela D
This book sounds all sorts of adorbs even though the main clues are held until the end. 🙂
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
It is adorbs – but not overly so. It’s a good balance.