Publishers Weekly
05/01/2023
Berenson’s appealing yet meandering second cozy featuring sexagenarian dog show judge Peg Turnbull and her sister-in-law Rose Donovan (after 2022’s Peg and Rose Solve a Murder) finds Rose meddling in Peg’s private life. She convinces the widowed Peg to sign up for a seniors-focused dating site and, after a few false starts, Peg meets Nolan Abercrombie, a witty, urbane suitor who “looks like George Clooney’s father.” When he expresses an interest in dogs, the usually intractable Peg is enchanted. Her elation is short-lived, though: Nolan is killed in a hit-and-run just a few weeks after they start dating. The police believe it’s an accident, but Peg and Rose suspect foul play. As the bickering best friends dig into Nolan’s background, their list of possible suspects increases, and Peg starts to fear someone from her beloved’s complicated past was out to get him. Peg and Rose’s interplay is more lived in and endearing than it was in their last outing, and Berenson supplements the mystery with several welcome trips to the dog show ring. This will appeal to dog lovers and mystery readers who prefer a pleasant stroll over a race to the finish line. Agent: Meg Ruley, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Aug.)
From the Publisher
Praise for Peg and Rose Solve a Murder
“With Melanie Travis away on vacation, it falls to her feuding aunts to solve a crime . . . If you love dogs and bridge, this character-driven mystery will be especially pleasing.” —Kirkus Reviews
“This spin-off from Berenson’s Melanie Travis mysteries (Melanie is Peg and Rose’s niece) combines well-delineated but very different senior protagonists with details of raising, showing, and judging show dogs, especially poodles. The resolution of the long-standing feud sets the table for future outings starring cases for the sisters-in-law turned sleuths.” —Booklist
“Fans of Laurien Berenson’s Melanie Travis Canine mysteries will enjoy seeing Peg and Rose, secondary characters in some of her other books, take center stage. Berenson gives Peg and Rose rich backgrounds that bring them to life, and her strong storytelling skills will have you guessing whodunit until the end.” —Mystery Scene
“Fans of the Melanie Travis series will be delighted.” —Publishers Weekly
“Fans of Laurien Berenson’s long-running Melanie Travis Canine Mysteries will be thrilled with Peg and Rose Solve a Murder, the first entry in a new spinoff series featuring Melanie’s engaging aunts, Peg Turnbull and Rose Donovan . . . [Peg and Rose] stand on their own as capable, witty women who are more than up to the task of crime-solving.” —BookPage
Library Journal
06/01/2023
Berenson's second "Senior Sleuths Mystery" (following Peg and Rose Solve a Murder) features combative sisters-in-law Peg Turnbull and Rose Donovan back on the case in quaint Connecticut. Determined to get Peg back on the dating scene, Rose makes her an online Mature Mingle profile. Peg meets Nolan through the dating app; however, before their relationship intensifies, Nolan is killed in a hit-and-run that's deemed a murder. Turns out Nolan was quite the lothario of Mature Mingle and more than one jilted woman would want the con man dead. Peg and Rose set out to investigate by befriending various women from Nolan's past, other business associates, and his estranged son. As they zero in on the killer, Peg and Rose untangle an impressive web of lies, theft, and a few brushes with death themselves. VERDICT This Golden Girls—style cozy mystery has plenty of humor and style. Readers should expect a slow burn, since the narrative action fails to ignite until midway through the story. Perfect for cozy aficionados looking for a new series and some laughs.—Linsey Milillo
Kirkus Reviews
2023-06-08
Melanie Travis’ redoubtable Aunt Peg gets a well-deserved franchise of her own.
After years in the background of her niece’s sleuthing adventures, Peg Turnbull landed a starring role in Peg and Rose Solve a Murder (2022). Her success helped her patch up a longtime feud with her sister-in-law, Rose Donovan, and opened the door to a follow-up outing for the two feisty seniors. This time, the trouble begins when Rose convinces Peg to join the Mature Mingle dating site, where after a few false starts she meets Nolan Abercrombie. Strong-minded Peg is initially smitten with the well-spoken and attentive Nolan until Rose points out how superficial his attentions are. So Peg’s not unduly distressed to learn that Nolan has been killed in a traffic accident—at least not until her old friend Det. Rodney Sturgill of the Stamford, Connecticut, police department points out that the car that hit Nolan made no attempt to brake to avoid him. Their curiosity piqued, Peg and Rose attend Nolan’s funeral, where they meet dozens of women who had had relationships of varying duration and intensity with Peg’s late suitor. Gentle Rose and determined Peg make an appealing pair, and the story of the much-mingling Nolan Abercrombie is likely to strike a resonant chord among the target audience. Peg’s poodles make a welcome appearance, while kindly Rose takes in a few strays of her own.
Long live the senior sleuths.
