Sniffing Out Murder by Kallie E. Benjamin

Item: Sniffing Out Murder
Rating: 5
Author: karenbaron

Posted December 7, 2023 by karenbaron in Blog Tour, Contest - Giveaway, Mystery, Review, Series / 1 Comment

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Sniffing Out Murder

by Kallie E. Benjamin

Series: Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery #1
Series Rating:

Published by Berkley on December 5, 2023
Setting: Crosbyville, Indiana
Genres: Cozy Animal Mystery
Pages: 351
Format: Audible Audiobook, Kindle, Paperback
Source: Great Escapes Book Tours
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When a murder unleashes a widespread investigation through Crosbyville, children’s book author Pris and her trusty bloodhound, Bailey, must sniff out the truth before the whole town goes to the dogs.

After deciding that life as a teacher wasn’t right for her, Priscilla found inspiration for her first children’s book in her three-year-old bloodhound’s nose for truth, and so The Adventures of Bailey the Bloodhound was born. After the book’s massively pawsitive response led Pris to move back to her hometown of Crosbyville, Indiana, to continue the series, she’s surprised by how things have changed in the town, but even more so how they haven’t.

Pris is frustrated to discover that newly elected school board trustee Whitney Kelley—a former high school mean girl—is intent on making Crosbyville more competitive by eliminating “frivolous spending” on the arts and social programs, including Pris and Bailey’s beloved pet-assisted reading program. A minor altercation between them isn’t anything unusual, but after Bailey sniffs out Whitney’s body in a bed of begonias, locals start hounding Pris and Bailey as suspects for the crime.

With Bailey’s sharp senses and Pris’s hometown know-how, can they prove to the community that they’re all barking up the wrong tree?

Sniffing Out Murder by Kallie E. Benjamin is about a children’s book author trying to solve a mystery and writing one as well.

Will Priscilla and Bailey clear their names for the killing of Whitney Kelley?

Priscilla Cummings and Bailey the Bloodhound

Priscilla Cummings is a retired elementary school teacher who is now the author of a book series called The Adventures of Bailey the Bloodhound, Pet Detective. Honestly, that sounds so awesome. Pris is back in her hometown, where she taught her last year before switching to full-time author. Let’s say that puts a perspective on Priscilla about how far she has come and not allow anyone to make her feel like her old self again. I liked Priscilla as a main character; her devotion to her dog is lovely, and I liked how she became the reluctant sleuth.

Bailey the Bloodhound is such a hoot of a character. I loved him very much. The one thing I like the most is that as a bloodhound, one wouldn’t think much about him, but he is a fiercely loyal dog who will protect anyone he cares about. Bailey is also a trained therapy dog, which I find so sweet, and I like that he is using his talents to help kids read.

Of these two characters, I couldn’t decide which is my favorite as they are a team, and it truly shows.

The Victim

Whitney Kelley was a beautiful young woman who just had a nasty personality. She acted like she was rich when she wasn’t, and Whitney was a terrible bully. She never grew out of that characteristic. Whitney probably had good intentions about cutting the art programs from schooling. Still, she didn’t care about her adopted daughter’s education, except for how it would look if her daughter weren’t “perfect” like the rest of the family.

I have to say that I was surprised she wasn’t killed sooner than she was. I guessed who the killer was.

Five Stars

Sniffing Out Murder by Kallie E. Benjamin is an excellent start to a new series by Ms. Benjamin. I loved every minute of being in this book. I am giving five stars to Sniffing Out Murder by Kallie E. Benjamin and recommending it to anyone who likes a good, cozy animal mystery.

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About Kallie E. Benjamin

Kallie E. Benjamin (Valerie Burns) is the author of the Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery series. The first book, Sniffing Out Murder releases on December 5, 2023. Valerie is an Agatha, Anthony, Edgar, and Next Generation Indie Book Award finalist. Writing as V. M. Burns she is the author of the Mystery Bookshop Mystery, Dog Club Mystery, and RJ Franklin Mystery series. Writing as Valerie Burns, she is the author of the Baker Street Mystery series. Valerie is also an adjunct professor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie now lives in Northern Georgia with her two poodles.

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