Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Merry Merry Merry Murder (Cuddle Farm Mysteries) by Paty Jager. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!

Merry Merry Merry Murder (Cuddle Farm Mysteries)

by Paty Jager

Merry Merry Merry Murder (Cuddle Farm Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Oregon
Publisher: Windtree Press
Publication Date: October 10, 2025

In the close-knit town of Auburn, Oregon, Andi Clark’s therapy animals bring comfort to the community, especially during the holiday season. As the annual Christmas Craft Bazaar draws near, Andi agrees to set up a Petting Zoo with her beloved animals, bringing smiles to the faces of children and adults alike.

But when a young girl seeks solace from Athena, Andi’s therapy dog, after witnessing an unsettling scene behind the sleigh, it marks the beginning of a much darker holiday. As the town gathers for the Tree Lighting Ceremony, a scream shatters the festive atmosphere. Cocoa, Andi’s loyal Border Collie, pulls her toward a chilling sight: a woman standing over the lifeless body of the girl’s mother, strangled with Christmas lights.

Determined to help the grieving girl and her town recover from the shock, Andi, her therapy animals, and her niece, a county deputy, take it upon themselves to investigate. As they uncover secrets and untangle clues, they stay one step ahead of the new sheriff and worry that the killer lurking in their midst could be someone they know.

Character Guest Spot – Lulu

Hi, everyone! I’m so happy I get to be the character that you read about today! I don’t get as much attention as Cocoa. She’s so smart and knows what to do for Andi when she’s anxious or missing her late husband. Cocoa is a brown and white border collie. She is always ready to help Andi with whatever she needs to do. Some might say she’s a bit on the hyperactive side. But don’t tell her I said that! 

Oh! I should tell you who I am! I’m Lulu! I’m Andi’s Chiweenie. You know, I’m half chihuahua and half mini dachshund. Andi thinks it makes the best breed of lap dog and therapy dog. I love visiting with children and old people. They all want to pet my silky black ears. I’m half long-haired mini dachshund, that’s how I get the long silky hair on my ears, tail, and legs. Andi calls the hair on my legs, my feathers. Hee-hee, that’s funny! My color is dapple black, brown, and white with brown and yellow eyes. I’m not sure what coloring came from what half of me, but people think I’m pretty! 

It’s not just Cocoa and I that Andi takes everywhere she goes. There is also Athena, she’s my buddy. She’s a Pyrenees and Golden Retriever cross. She’s big, fluffy, and loves everyone. But her size scares some people. I don’t mind it. She’s fun to curl up with. 

We, Cocoa, Athena, and I get to stay in the house with Andi. She has a nice bungalow with a propane fireplace and cozy beds for us in the living room and bedroom, though I get to sleep in my dog bed on her bed. She likes hearing me snoring on the other side of the bed now that she’s a widow. Oops! I don’t snore. I may breathe loudly and whine if I’m dreaming. I am to sweet and delicate to snore. 

Sometimes we travel to a nursing home or school and we take the other members of the Cuddle Farm with us. 

I don’t mind Cupcake, she’s a pygmy goat. Her bleats are cute, and she is always in a happy mood, like I am. She does, however, eat anything that comes near her mouth. 

But Sparky… Pee-uuu-eey! His breath could use some mint. He likes to bray, which is high-pitched and annoying. And then his breath! It stinks. Then he likes to show off his yellowy-green teeth. Really, he needs to see the vet and get his teeth cleaned like Cocoa, Athena, and I do. That mini donkey needs some manners, too. He likes to steal things. I’m sure Andi gets tired of having to give back the things he snatches when we go places. 

At the very back of the van that Andi hauls us around in is Flopsie, a dwarf Holland lop bunny and Chicklet, a silky hen.  Everyone loves Flopsie. She’s cute and soft. Chicklet is funny-looking with her wild feathers on her head. 

That makes up the Cuddle crew. We live on the Weber Sheep Farm with Andi, her mom, Gina, her brother, Rudy, her sister, Nina, and her husband, David, and son, Todd.  Everyone helps take care of the sheep, but Gina, Nina, Rudy, and Todd all clean, spin, dye, weave, and knit with the wool. Then they sell that at the store in town. Andi has been the bookkeeper since she returned to Auburn. She says she doesn’t have the creativity of the rest of the family, but she has lots of heart and is good with numbers, people, and animals. We love her!

My review of Merry Merry Merry Murder

Merry Merry Merry Murder by Paty Jager is the first book in what promises to be a charming cozy mystery series. The Cuddle Farm Mystery series stars Andi Clark who has returned to her small home town of Auburn, Oregon. After losing her husband two years ago, Andi found comfort in her therapy dog, Cocoa. Now she’s back home and running her own therapy animal business. 

As is the case with most first in series books, we’re introduced to a lot of characters. Most of them are very easy to keep track of, but there were times when I’d get some mixed up. I think that since several characters were side characters and won’t be in future books, that won’t be an issue. I am looking forward to seeing more of Andi’s old high school friends as she reconnects with them. I liked Andi’s niece Bailey a lot. She’s a deputy and is trying to play matchmaker between Andi and the new sheriff. We’ll see how that plays out since Andi isn’t ready for a romantic relationship yet. I’m sure that they will develop a closer friendship as the series progresses. 

The mystery is well-plotted with multiple suspects, so it really keeps you guessing. The pacing got a bit slow for me close to the middle, but it picked up again at the end to the point where I was really engaged and didn’t want to stop reading. I really loved the Christmassy feeling with the tree lighting and Christmas festival. 

My favorite aspect of this book was the therapy animals and the role that they play in the lives of those around town. Andi takes them to the school, hospital, nursing home, and to special events. She doesn’t just have dogs; she has a little donkey, a bunny, a silky chicken, and a pygmy goat. Her animals enrich the lives of those they serve. 

I think cozy mystery lovers will enjoy Merry Merry Merry Murder. It has solid, well-written main characters, a cozy small town setting, a Christmassy vibe, and a murder mystery that will keep you guessing! 

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

About Paty Jager

Paty Jager is an award-winning author of murder mysteries, western romance, and action-adventure. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Riding horses and battling rattlesnakes in eastern Oregon, she not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it.

Author Links

Website: https://www.patyjager.net
Blog: https://writingintothesunset.net/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Paty-Jager/e/B002I7M0VK
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/patyjag/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1005334.Paty_Jager
Newsletter- Mystery: https://bit.ly/2IhmWcm
Bookbub – https://www.bookbub.com/authors/paty-jager
Instagram –Paty Jager (@patymjager) • Instagram photos and videos
TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@authorpatyjager

Purchase Links – Amazon  – B&N

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Merry, Merry, Merry Murder TOUR PARTICIPANTS

October 10 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – AUTHOR GUEST POST

October 10 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 11 – Jemima Pett, Author – REVIEW

October 11 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

October 12 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 12 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

October 13 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

October 13 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

October 14 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

October 14 – @bibliophile_foodie – REVIEW 

October 15 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 15 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 16 – Angel’s Book Nook – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 17 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

October 17 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 18 – Storybook Lady – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 18 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

October 19 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW

October 19 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 20 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 21 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

October 21 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST

October 22 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 23 – Bigreadersite – REVIEW 

October 23 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

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