Leashes & Lies: A Cozy Dog Mystery

The Maplewood Dog Mysteries Book 2

When a winter patron is found strangled with a handcrafted dog lead, can a bookseller and her skittish rescue uncover the truth before Maplewood’s Dog Sled Derby is canceled?

Snow sparkles over Lake Harvest as the Winter Market & Dog Sled Derby draws crowds to Maplewood, Vermont. Between steaming cider and artisan booths, bookstore owner Emma Carlisle hopes for a quiet season—until a wealthy sponsor is discovered dead in the derby equipment tent and a custom leather lead points police toward a young craftsperson Emma believes is innocent. With her English Setter Wendi—a loving, skittish rescue who trusts her nose more than crowds—Emma follows fair-play clues through altered booth ledgers, a suspicious camera gap, and a cryptic argument no one wants to talk about.

As Sheriff Caleb Merritt balances town politics against hard evidence, suspects stack up: a lawsuit-shadowed musher, a rival vendor with imported knockoffs, and an estranged family member with money to gain. Guided by logic—and Wendi’s keen instincts—Emma must sift snow-covered lies from the truth before the killer buries the derby for good.

Leashes & Lies is a warm, witty cozy dog mystery with small-town charm, a loyal canine sidekick, and a clean, twist-rich puzzle—no gore, no profanity—and a satisfyingly fair reveal that deepens the series’ heart.

Love dog cozies, wintry small-town intrigue, and clever amateur sleuths? Start reading Leashes & Lies today.