Barks and Clues: A Canine Cozy Mystery by Sharon Michaels

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Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Barks and Clues: A Canine Cozy Mystery by Sharon Michaels. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!

Barks and Clues: A Canine Cozy Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Small Town USA
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published (May 22, 2024)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 105 pages

If you like a cozy mystery that has…
A fun, clean whodunit with twists and turns.
Three generations of one family sleuthing together.
Dog detectives sniffing out clues and bad guys.
A small town with hidden secrets.
A close-knit community coming together to solve crime.
… then this is the short read book for you.

Retired police detective Maya Thompson is living a quiet life in the small town of Sunridge Junction with her son, Ethan, and her granddaughter, Lily. When their peaceful neighborhood is hit by a string of break-ins, Maya suspects there might be more to these crimes than meets the eye. Together, Maya, Ethan, Lily and their three clever and adventurous dogs, Digger, Dash, and Daisy, begin investigating the burglaries.

The dogs follow their noses, and the humans follow the dogs to an old fishing shack and a mysterious inventor. The man claims his innocence and insists he is being framed for the break-ins. The reclusive inventor explains that someone is trying to sabotage him and steal his inventions. He pleads with the crime-solvers to help prove his innocence and bring the true culprits to justice. Maya reluctantly agrees, finding it difficult to let go of her desire for justice.

With its quirky characters, fun plot twists, and a sprinkling of canine charm, this book is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and anyone who believes that heroism has no age limit.

Character Interview with Digger the Mini Dachshund Detective

Hi, I’m Digger Thompson, a ten pound dark brown and tan mini dachshund. I’m one of Sunridge Junction’s famous trio of crime solving canine detectives. Today an interviewer from a popular television news program is here to interview me and my buddies. We solve mysteries with our human family: Maya, Ethan and Lily Thompson. You can find all of our sleuthing adventures in Sharon Michaels’ A Canine Cozy Mystery series of books.

Here’s a transcript of the interview…

Setting: A cozy coffee shop with a whimsical, dog-friendly atmosphere in the small town of Sunridge Junction. The booths are adorned with dog-themed artwork, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the air. Digger, a clever mini dachshund wearing a tiny detective hat, sits at a table with his friends, Dash, a sprightly beagle, and Daisy, a feisty six pound chihuahua. The interviewer, a curious journalist, sits down to learn more about them.

Interviewer: Thank you for joining me today, Detective Digger. I must say, it’s not every day that I get to interview a dog detective. Should I call you Detective Digger?

Digger: (with a wag of his tail) Just Digger is fine. I’m not much for formality.

Dash: (nibbling on a treat) He keeps it casual, but he’s all business when it comes to solving crimes! Right, Digger?

Daisy: (nodding solemnly) Absolutely. Every case is serious, especially the ones involving missing treats.

Interviewer: (laughing) I can only imagine. So, Digger, tell me about your early days. I hear you were rescued from a puppy mill.

Digger: (sighs, looking thoughtful) It wasn’t easy. Puppy mills are rough places. I didn’t even know what grass was until Ethan found me.

Dash: (leaning in) It was a dark and stormy day when he rescued Digger. Literally.

Digger: Right! Ethan was volunteering with a rescue organization. He saw me and couldn’t just walk away.

Interviewer: How has your life changed since then?

Digger: (ears perking up) Where do I even start? I went from a cramped cage to living in a home that’s like a kingdom! Ethan, and later Maya and Lily, they’ve given all three of us canine detectives a home with the best snacks. All three of us are adopted.

Dash: (looking over at Digger with a mischievous grin) Speaking of snacks, don’t forget about that delicious steak treat you hoarded last week. Digger loves to eat!

Daisy: (with a chuckle) He’s still hiding some of it in the backyard. He’s a super sleuth, for sure.

Interviewer: Speaking of sleuthing, Digger, how did you start solving crimes?

Digger: It all kind of happened by accident. Ethan works as a tech consultant and has access to all the latest internet news. Maya, his mom, is a retired police detective. She has friends over for coffee and they discuss their cases.

Daisy: (leaning forward) One morning it was different. They talked about a missing child that needed to be found. Digger was so eager to help, he jumped up on the coffee table and started barking!

Digger: (grinning) That was the first case we worked on. Maya was extremely impressed with our detective skills, so we all teamed up.

Interviewer: What’s it like working with Maya?

Digger: She’s incredible. She teaches us about crime scenes, and she can read human body language better than any of us can.

Dash: And she always lets Digger wear the detective hat for the photo ops. Very classy!

Interviewer: Who else is part of your detective squad?

Digger: (excited) Oh, there’s also Lily, Ethan’s daughter. She’s an investigative reporter. And, get this, she’s writing a book about our adventures!

Daisy: (beaming) Yes! It’s going to be a bestseller. It’s all about solving mysteries as seen through the eyes of dogs.

Dash: Just wait until the world gets a load of our strategic snack-related antics. We’re going to change detective work forever!

Interviewer: What types of cases do you often solve?

Digger: All kinds! Missing invention blueprints, strange noises in the neighborhood, stolen manuscripts. We’ve even been ghost hunting. We’ve also helped solve a murder case and recently saved a wedding by bringing home the kidnapped groom.

Daisy: (seriously) I once had to follow a suspect all the way to the dog park. It was exhausting but totally worth it!

Interviewer: What’s been your most challenging case so far?

Digger: (growing somber) Finding the culprits who murdered our friend Kimber’s human. It’s a long story, but I had accidentally gotten myself locked inside a food truck and heard two people talking about robbing a man. After cleverly escaping the truck, I ran across a body in an alley. I led my humans to the crime scene where we found Kimber guarding the body of her human. The three of us knew we’d do everything in our power to bring the bad guys to justice.

Dash: (nodding) The key was focusing on the clues.

Daisy: With our combined efforts, we found the bad guys. That was a proud moment for all of us.

Interviewer: How does it feel to make a difference in your community?

Digger: (tail wagging proudly) It feels amazing! Knowing we are making a difference is the best feeling.

Dash: (yipping) We may be small, but we pack a punch in the detective world!

Daisy: And it’s all thanks to teamwork and our incredible humans, Ethan, Maya, and Lily. They encourage us and trust our instincts.

Interviewer: Any advice for aspiring detective dogs out there?

Digger: (thoughtful) Always follow your nose and trust your heart. Your human is your best buddy, so work together. And snacks don’t hurt either.

Dash: Plus, having a solid writing team like Lily at the newspaper and author Sharon Michaels is crucial! It helps spread our stories.

Daisy: And you gotta always stay curious. Curiosity leads to great investigations.

Interviewer: Thank you, Digger, Dash, and Daisy. This has been enlightening and truly enjoyable. I can’t wait to follow your next adventures!

Digger: Thank you! And remember, if you ever need a detective, you know where to find us!

The three canine detectives wag their tails enthusiastically as the interview concludes, and the little detective hat sits perfectly atop Digger’s head, ready for the next case.

End of Interview

About Sharon Michaels

Bestselling author Sharon Michaels writes sweet, clean, and fun cozy mystery short reads about mature, smart women and men who know how to enjoy life. Small towns, close friends, a hint of romance, and a fur-baby or two makes solving mysteries fun and exciting.

Today I happily write in the cactus filled desert of the southwest United States. My extremely supportive husband and I love exploring the beauty of our country. As I travel, I write fun and interesting things in my notebook so I can share these memories with you in stories and books.

* Short, Sweet Cozy Mysteries
* Keeps You Guessing Stories
* Smart, Mature, Believable Characters

Author Links
Website: https://SharonMichaelsAuthor.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSharonMichaels/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sharon-michaels

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2691207.Sharon_Michaels

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sharon_michaels_author/

Links to Purchase:
A Canine Cozy Mystery Series
Series Links
Amazon U.S. Link Amazon Universal Link

Barks and Clues
Amazon U.S. Link Amazon Universal Link