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4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
231 global ratings
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52%
4 star
37%
3 star
6%
2 star
4%
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Noelle
4.0 out of 5 stars Great story, likeable characters, leaves you wanting more. Love the backstory of the authors!
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2020
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Evidently this has been sitting dormant on my Kindle for several years and I just read it. Let me start by saying that this author (duo), got the hard part right. They have a great story, likeable characters, and leave you wanting to come back for more. Usually when I find a book or author I like, I will buy the rest of the series or books.
After reading this book, I considered it buying the series but there were a couple of concerns I had. My concerns may not bother other people, and are things the authors could fairly easily fix with better research.
The main character supposedly lost her license to practice therapy because of what her partner/ex-husband did. This was my area of study – and you do not lose your license to practice because of what your partner does, unless she was also complicit in her husband’s affair with a client.

We also grew up and spent decades of our careers in the locations in this book. A couple of very non-factual things; the color of the water off Laguna Beach, (and most of Southern California), is a gray blue most of the year. More importantly, no one would push their way through a pink bougainvillea hedge because they would be impaled, maimed, and ripped up – even through their clothes. Bougainvillea have sturdy thorns that are much worse than roses and are up to two inches long. Lastly, the bugs in California are much smaller than many other states we have visited. Southern California, especially close to the beach, does not have a huge bug problem. Central California, with all the agriculture, does struggle more with the number of bugs, but not the size of the bugs.

Now that I have complained, let me add that, after reading this book, I just read two others, hoping to find another author and storyline I would enjoy. Both were recommended by Amazon and had pretty decent reviews – but they were hopeless. Two bad books in a row – and I am buying the rest of this series in the hope that through time you have been able to do better research. The story and people are worth following. Additionally, I loved your back story and hope you have continued to appreciate each other and enjoy your writing together.
I’ll let you know how it goes.

BTW – there seems to be something wrong when searching for you, your books, and/or your series. I searched by your name, the name of your first book, and the name of the series, and my content, to no avail. I had to go back to Google to get back to purchase the series on Amazon. If others have this issue, you probably lose sales.
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4.0 out of 5 stars Great story, likeable characters, leaves you wanting more. Love the backstory of the authors!
By Noelle on December 19, 2020
Evidently this has been sitting dormant on my Kindle for several years and I just read it. Let me start by saying that this author (duo), got the hard part right. They have a great story, likeable characters, and leave you wanting to come back for more. Usually when I find a book or author I like, I will buy the rest of the series or books.
After reading this book, I considered it buying the series but there were a couple of concerns I had. My concerns may not bother other people, and are things the authors could fairly easily fix with better research.
The main character supposedly lost her license to practice therapy because of what her partner/ex-husband did. This was my area of study – and you do not lose your license to practice because of what your partner does, unless she was also complicit in her husband’s affair with a client.

We also grew up and spent decades of our careers in the locations in this book. A couple of very non-factual things; the color of the water off Laguna Beach, (and most of Southern California), is a gray blue most of the year. More importantly, no one would push their way through a pink bougainvillea hedge because they would be impaled, maimed, and ripped up – even through their clothes. Bougainvillea have sturdy thorns that are much worse than roses and are up to two inches long. Lastly, the bugs in California are much smaller than many other states we have visited. Southern California, especially close to the beach, does not have a huge bug problem. Central California, with all the agriculture, does struggle more with the number of bugs, but not the size of the bugs.

Now that I have complained, let me add that, after reading this book, I just read two others, hoping to find another author and storyline I would enjoy. Both were recommended by Amazon and had pretty decent reviews – but they were hopeless. Two bad books in a row – and I am buying the rest of this series in the hope that through time you have been able to do better research. The story and people are worth following. Additionally, I loved your back story and hope you have continued to appreciate each other and enjoy your writing together.
I’ll let you know how it goes.

BTW – there seems to be something wrong when searching for you, your books, and/or your series. I searched by your name, the name of your first book, and the name of the series, and my content, to no avail. I had to go back to Google to get back to purchase the series on Amazon. If others have this issue, you probably lose sales.
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Reader of the Pack
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Star Mystery with Dogs!
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2017
Verified Purchase
I'm a sucker for dog stories and this one is quite good. I had my doubts about an author named Sparkle Abbey. I discovered this is the nom de plume ( hope I spelled that right) of two authors neither of whom are name Sparkle or Abbey. Anyway, on to the review.

Carolina Lamont is a Texas transplant who came to live in Laguna Beach CA when she divorced. I'm not going to tell why. You'll find out when you read the book. She is a dog therapist who has become popular in a gated community in Laguna. One of her clients (the owner not the dogs) is murdered shortly after her visit. Caro, as she likes to be called, can't believe she is a possible suspect. There is much more to the story but I'm not going to spoil the read by telling you anything else.

There is an interesting murder with several clues and suspects, not to mention a hunky detective. I liked the characters many of whom had something to hide. The authors are knowledgeable about dogs and how to correct problem behaviors. They were also able to showcase the need to spay/neuter dogs as well as the importance of financially supporting your local animal shelter. I liked everything about this story and rated it five stars.
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M. BrownTop Contributor: Pets
5.0 out of 5 stars Well Crafted Cozy
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2016
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Desperate Housedogs
Pampered Pets Mystery, Book #1
Sparkle Abbey
5 Stars

Synopsis:

In posh Laguna Beach, murder has gone to the dogs.

When Caro Lamont, former psychologist turned pet therapist makes a house call to help Kevin Blackstone with his two misbehaving German Shepherd dogs, she expects frantic dogs, she expects a frantic dog owner, she even expects frantic neighbors. What she doesn’t expect is that two hours later the police will find Kevin dead, his dogs impounded; and that as the last person to see Kevin alive (well, except for the killer) she is suddenly a person of interest, at least according to Homicide Detective Judd Malone.

Sparkle Abbey is the pseudonym of two mystery authors (Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter). They are friends and neighbors as well as co-writers of the Pampered Pets Mystery Series. The pen name was created by combining the names of their rescue pets - Sparkle (Mary Lee’s cat) and Abbey (Anita’s dog). They reside in central Iowa, but if they could write anywhere, you would find them on the beach with their laptops and depending on the time of day either an iced tea or a margarita.) Visit the authors at [...] (Goodreads)

Review:

Caro Lamont finds her pet therapy business thriving and growing, especially within the neighborhood of Ruby Point. In the affluent neighborhood, many of the dogs are displaying behavior problems
that are not becoming of a rich animal. Is it something sinister in the air or the water that is causing problems in the neighborhood? With the death of one her clients, Caro knows she needs to get to the bottom of things before someone innocent is charged with murder.

The characters are well developed and well rounded. I enjoyed reading about the feud between Caro and her cousin and could picture in my mind their plotting and scheming to take possession of Grandma’s brooch. I also enjoyed the bickering between Caro and Detective Malone. One of the things I enjoyed the most about the book was Caro’s occupation. I found the information on different dog breeds and training techniques fascinating and very informative.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in descriptive writing, whether it be concerning the setting, the animals or the relationships between characters. I was able to sit down and start reading and was transported into the world created by the author and it was a place I wanted to stay in. The mystery is carried on throughout the entire book, and with so many suspects and twists and turns, it was near impossible to figure out the culprit.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. If you enjoy animal cozies, you will love this book. I am looking forward to reading all the books in this series. Check them out and I am sure you will feel the same way.
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Top reviews from other countries

Joanne
5.0 out of 5 stars Desperate Housedogs
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 25, 2012
Verified Purchase
'Desperate Housedogs' is the first book in a new themed cosy mystery series based around pets. This book is great fun and makes for light reading. The characters are well developed and the main character Caro came across as a real person. I thought the book was well written with the story flowing along nicely; there is a good mix of clues introduced and it allows you to get to know all the characters. I also enjoyed the information about the different breeds of dogs and pet care, which was scattered throughout but without slowing the pace.

Also running through the story is a fun sub-plot about a feud between the main character Caro and her cousin Melinda. I thought this added to the overall feel of the book and will no doubt continue through other books in the series. It sounds like this series will be different from other cosy-themed mysteries in that it is going to alternate between the two cousins Caro and Melinda and is being written by two different authors. This book features Caro, and the next titled 'Fluffy' will be written from Melinda's point of view; I look forward to reading this next book in the series.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars To treat the dog, treat the owner
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 25, 2017
Verified Purchase
Brilliant! A really terrific read. Humour, mystery and a hint of romance mixed into a really enjoyable experience. She is a psychologist dealing with pets and their owners. Not quite the brightest as she misses some really obvious clues but a really likeable character. Why did one of her clients die? Why are all the dogs suddenly having behavioural problems? A great romp filled with dogs and multiple motives. Recommended. Great characters and settings.
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Lynda Kelly
5.0 out of 5 stars Even Includes Dogcare Tips !
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 1, 2012
Verified Purchase
I loved this book !! I'm a real doggy person anyway and love books about all murder and mayhem and this book has it all !! It features a girl called Caro who's a pet therapist. It's even got great dogcare tips in the tale and describes each breed she meets very well too.
One of her clients is murdered and Caro was the last person believed to have seen him alive and this follows her as she attempts to figure out the true protagonist herself.
She also has an ongoing battle going on with her cousin Mel which, although nothing much to do with the actual story, is very funny to read about.
Great characters and although a Kindle freebie the day I downloaded it, wasn't full of grammatical and spelling errors.
I'll be looking forward to the new book in the series !
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Angel
3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable contemporary romantic story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 8, 2012
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed this story, which was more than just a straightforward romantic plot and had just a touch of humour. However, at just over £8 I think this kindle edition is definitely overpriced as there are many others equally good that are cheaper and I won't be getting the next one unless the price drops.
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maureen brophy
4.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed it. But books with pets in the story ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 11, 2017
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed it. But books with pets in the story I always enjoy as long as it has a good story line.
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