Bicycles, Barking & Murder: A Cozy English Animal Mystery (A Dickens & Christie Mystery Book 6), by Kathy Manos Penn

 

Picking up this book is like returning home. I've grown to love not just main character Leta as the series has progressed but her home and those about her. That, of course, includes Christie the cat and Dickens the dog. As always, they are an important part of the story. The plot revolves around the death of Rupert, a seemingly well liked man involved in promoting bicycling in Britain. He's come to Cotswold for an associated event and a book signing. He winds up dead in the parking lot of a local pub.

There are several suspects and Leta and the LOL (Little Old Ladies) Detective group set out to solve the case. In the process we encounter some new characters as well as the regulars. It's also always fun to see Christie and Dickens being the cat and dog they are even if Leta has the ability to understand and talk to them. Oddly enough, that ability doesn't come off as odd at all, just part and parcel of who Leta is. Not only is there a case to solve, romance seems to be in the air for not just Leta and soon-to-arrive boyfriend Dave but for Gemma and Jake, an investigator she met in the previous book. Given the comfortable, family feel of this series, that is a welcome turn. Of course, Dave still lives in America, so there is that little complication.

In any case, I won't detail the plot as you can read a summary just about anywhere books are sold. If you like cozy mysteries with people you'd like to know, furry critters to not only keep you on your toes but warm your lap, and a well-constructed plot, this book should delight you as much as it did me. While I'm sure you'd get some of the subtle nuances better if you have read past books, it's a winner as a stand-alone. So, give your furry friends a scratch, grab a warm beverage, tea is the usual in Cotswold, and curl up with "Bicycles, Barking, and Murder". You won't be disappointed.