Synopses & Reviews
Mae December runs a successful dog boarding business in Tennessee. When her neighbor, Ruby Mead-Allison, fails to pick up her unruly Pomeranian from Mae's kennel, Mae pokes around and discovers the woman's body. It is clad in one red boot, and there is a vehicle counting cord wrapped around its neck.
While delving into the mystery of Ruby's death, Mae encounters handsome Sheriff Ben Bradley. Together they find no shortage of suspects. Ruby was standing in the way of a project that would widen the road and make the area safer. Was she killed by an angry neighbor? Her estranged husband? Her disinherited brother? The sheriff may not appreciate Mae's amateur detecting, but he does respond to her as a woman. Meanwhile the murderer thinks it's time to put a permanent stop to Mae's meddling.
Review
"A tidy little mystery peppered with likeable characters, interesting back stories, and lots of canine lore. One Dog Too Many is an entertaining book to read on a lazy day."
--Mary Marks, The New York Journal of Books
Review
"A fun debut novel for what promises to be an exciting cozy mystery series!"
Mae December owns a popular dog-boarding business in the small town of Rosedale, Tennessee --a quiet little town where everybody knows everyone's business, which will come in handy when dog owner Ruby Mead-Allison doesn't show up to claim her feisty little dog Elvis. Mae suddenly finds herself trying track down the pet owner before Elvis drives her and her neighbors nuts with his yapping. But Mae never expects to find herself smack-dab in the middle of a murder-mystery when she stumbles across the body of Ruby with a cord wrapped around her neck.
Mae knows she needs to leave the investigating up to Sheriff Ben Bradley, but she soon finds that working with the handsome lawman is pretty pleasurable. As they sort through the murder suspects, a spark of romantic interest is fanned to flame. But will Mae and Ben discover who the murderer is before someone else falls victim to his evil- doings and will that someone be Mae herself?
In her novel, ONE DOG TOO MANY: A Mae December Mystery, debut novelist Lia Farrell (pen-name for a mother-daughter writing team) delivers a lively tale with plenty of twists, turns, and unexpected situations to satisfy the most ardent cozy mystery lover. The story is told in several voices, including Mae, Sheriff Ben, and Detective Wayne, with Mae's best friend Tammy piping in occasionally, giving the tale several viewpoints of the mystery. Farrell's additional cast of characters are fun folks to get to know, and the setting of the Tennessee countryside is charming. Animal lovers will enjoy the interaction with Mae's kennel customers, and fans of who- dun-it's will love figuring out the intriguing plot as the story moves along. As a debut book, ONE DOG TOO MANY by Lia Farrell is a fine introduction to what promises to be an exciting series to follow.
--Sharon Galligar Chance, Fresh Fiction, Posted Feb. 6, 2014
Review
"With an equal mix of charm and intrigue, Lia Farrell has created a twisty tale of murder and wagging tails."
--Jane Cleland, author of The Josie Prescott Antiques Mysteries
"Dog lovers and cozy mystery fans alike will be charmed by this first book in an exciting new series featuring Tennessee dog breeder Mae December. One Dog Too Many gets off to a fast start as the Lia Farrell writing team pulls the reader into a dog-gone good tale of murder set in the beauty of the Middle Tennessee countryside."
--Marie Moore, author of the Sidney Marsh Mysteries
"Lia Farrell has created a strong debut mystery in One Dog Too Many. The plot is intricate, the characters well-developed, and the setting charming. Dog-lovers and mystery fans alike will enjoy this fast-moving tail ... um, tale."
--Jennie Bentley, USA Today bestselling author of the Fatal Fixer Upper series
Synopsis
Mae December runs a dog boarding business in Tennessee. When her neighbor, Ruby Mead-Allison, fails to pick up her Pomeranian, Mae discovers the woman's body. While delving into the mystery of Ruby's death, Mae and handsome Sheriff Ben Bradley find no shortage of suspects. Meanwhile the killer wants to put a permanent stop to Mae's meddling. Book 1 of the Mae December Mystery Series.
About the Author
Lia Farrell is the pen name of the mother and daughter writing team of Lyn Farquhar and Lisa Fitzsimmons, who live in Michigan and Tennessee, respectively. Both are life-long readers who are also dog lovers. Lyn owns two Welsh corgis and Lisa has two pugs and a Siberian husky. Lisa works as a Muralist and Interior Designer and Lyn is a Professor of Medical Education. One Dog Too Many is their first novel. The next book in the Mae December Mystery series will be Two Dogs Lie Sleeping, which will be released by Camel Press in 2014. For more information, go to liafarrell.net.