Tailing trouble

Early in Scott's fluffy sequel to 2021's Dogged by Death, Willow Bluff, Wis., veterinarian Ally Winter is out walking a dog she's boarding when she comes across a polka-dotted shoe that she recently saw on the foot of Pricilla Green, the malcontent cleaner at the assisted-living residence that's home to Gramps (aka Oscar Winter), Ally's grandfather. Sure enough, Pricilla is lying strangled under a nearby weeping willow. Ally moved back home to Willow Bluff following a breakup to theoretically look after Gramps, but Gramps gets along just fine, thank you very much, without her assistance. Since he's really into solving crimes, he's eager to help investigate Pricilla's murder. Det. Noah Jorgenson looks askance at the subsequent amateur sleuthing, until a second murder occurs. Could these deaths have anything to do with a spate of burglaries, or is something else going on? Several entertaining twists and turns lead to a satisfying conclusion. Cozy fans will have fun. Agent: Pamela Hopkins, Hopkins Literary Assoc. (Jan.)

Veterinarian Ally Winter has better luck controlling dogs than keeping the leash on her crime-obsessed grandfather. Now that Gramps and Ally have solved a murder in Dogged by Death (2021), he feels free to poke his nose into every local crime, much to the distress of Noah Jorgenson, Ally's detective boyfriend. Since Ally's only recently moved back to her Wisconsin hometown and her veterinary practice is slow, she does grooming, dog walking, and boarding for extra cash. While she's walking her new boarder, standard poodle Domino, he brings her a shoe last seen on the foot of Pricilla Green, the petulant, pierced, inept cleaner at Legacy House, where Gramps lives with three widows vying for his attention. After finding Pricilla dead in the nearby woods, Ally is reluctantly dragged into investigating by Gramps, who's chomping at the bit despite stern warnings from Noah. Because Pricilla is the daughter of Willow Bluff's mayor, who'd just kicked her out of the house over an unsuitable boyfriend, the case has political ramifications that keep Noah's relationship with Ally strictly business. Someone breaks into the clinic, steals the petty cash, and tries to break into Legacy House. Although Domino is unruly, he has a nose for crime and discovers Pricilla's diary hidden in a closet. Everyone knows that Gramps and Ally are sniffing around, and when someone tries to run down Ally and Domino, it's clear that they're close to digging up the truth. The intrepid heroine furthers her romance and once again relies on canine help to solve the crime. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.