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Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Animals
7:30 PM
I'm a little late to the party, but I didn't want to miss this week's Top Ten Tuesday (especially since these posts are about the only ones I actually do anymore). First, though, I want to say thank you to everyone for all the kind wishes regarding last week's colonoscopy. The preparation really was horrid, but the procedure itself was quick and easy. I did have ten pre-cancerous polyps removed, which is apparently a large number for someone my age (49), so the GI doctor recommended genetic counseling and yearly colonoscopies (oh, joy). Even though the colonoscopy experience was unpleasant, I'm glad I went through with it, especially since I have no family history of colon issues and I might have kept putting it off if my doctor hadn't been so adamant about someone of my advancing age getting one.
Aaaannnyyyway, today's TTT prompt is a fun one: Top Ten Animal Companions (real or imaginary) in Books. Although I do have some favorite literary animals—Ivan from The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, Manchee from Patrick Ness' Chaos Walking series, Wilbur from Charlotte's Web, etc.—I'm not sure I can come up with ten. Instead, I'm going to tweak the topic a tad and feature books on my TBR list with animals on their covers. Since I don't really seek out animal-related reads, this could have been a really difficult task. Thankfully, I enjoy cozy mysteries and they almost always include animals.
As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.
Top Ten Cozy Mysteries On My TBR List With Animals on the Cover
1. Dead Tired (The Expectant Detectives #2) by Kat Ailes—After solving a murder together, Alice has grown very close to the other members of her prenatal group. Now tired new moms, she and her friends decide to participate in an eco-protest as a way to get away and finally get some sleep. When one of the protesters is found dead, Alice & Co. once again find themselves investigating a murder.
Do I get extra credit since the author's name is Kat??
Also, fair warning: this series is cozy in vibe, but the books are R-rated for strong language and innuendo.
2. Murder is a Piece of Cake (Baker Street Mystery #2) by Valerie Burns—Maddy is just getting the hang of running her late great aunt's popular bakery when a rival bakery opens up in her small town. The owner has a reputation for crushing anyone who tries to get in his way. When he's found dead with one of Maddy's knives in his back, she finds herself accused of murder. She didn't do it, so who did?
3. Potions Are for Pushovers (Eleanor Wilde Mystery #2) by Tamara Berry—Pretend medium Eleanor Wilde has established herself as the town witch in the small English village where she has settled. Her potions business is doing well until one of her customers dies by poison. Eleanor may be a fake, but she's not a murderer. Plenty of people hated mean old Sarah Davenport, but who loathed her enough to kill her? Eleanor vows to find out.
4. Flight Risk (The Booking Agents #2) by Cherie Priest—Psychic travel agent Leda Foley and detective Grady Merritt are brought together again when the cases they are working on intersect. Can they work together to solve a puzzling mystery or two?
My vision isn't the greatest, so I just now realized the dog on the cover is carrying an unconventional type of bone. Yikes! Pretty grim for a cozy cover.
5. A Very Woodsy Murder (Golden Motel #1) by Ellen Byron—Soured on life in the big city, tv writer Dee Stern leaves L.A. in the dust and heads for the hills. When she comes across a dilapidated motel in the woods, she impulsively decides to revive it, with her ex-husband as her business partner. The pair soon discovers that running a motel is a lot harder than it looks—and that's before a murder occurs on their property. Anxious to prove their innocence, Dee and her ex launch their own investigation into the killing. Whodunit?
6. An Irish Bookshop Murder (Mercy McCarthy Mystery #1) by Lucy Connelly—Sisters Mercy and Lizzie McCarthy are thrilled when they inherit a bookstore in a small Irish village from their grandfather. They've barely settled in when their neighbor drops dead. With his last breath, he accuses Mercy of murder, a charge overheard by a whole crowd of people. A shocked Mercy must find the real killer in order to clear her name.
7. Tragedy in Tahoe (Rylie Sunderland Mysteries #1) by Rachele Baker—Veternarian Rylie Sunderland needs a fresh start. She agrees to take a summer job helping out at a Lake Tahoe inn that her friend owns. Her relaxing break is shattered when a dead body is found in a secret tunnel under the inn. Accused by the local police of the murder, Rylie launches her own investigation into the crime in an effort to prove her innocence.
8. An Appetite for Murder (Key West Food Critic Mystery #1) by Lucy Burdette—Hayley Snow is thrilled when she's offered a job as a food critic for a popular magazine. When she discovers her new boss is the woman her boyfriend cheated on her with? Not so much. Things go from bad to worse when she's murdered and Hayley becomes the police's prime suspect. Refusing to take the blame for a crime she didn't commit (at least not outside of her imagination), Hayley starts hunting down the real killer.
9. A Murder Most Fowl (Food Truck Mystery #1) by Carmela Dutra (available September 9, 2025)—When their late aunt passes away, twins Beth and Seth Lloyd inherit her chicken-themed food truck. In an effort to drum up business, they enter a fierce elimination-type cooking contest. When the competition gets a little too literal, leaving a contestant dead, the twins find themselves in the police's crosshairs. In order to prove their innocence, they need to find the guilty party on the double. Who killed the contestant and why?
10. Botched Butterscotch (An Amish Candy Shop Mystery #5) by Amanda Flower—Juliet Brody and Reverend Brook are getting married and the wedding is set to be the event of the year in their small town. Bailey King is not only making the cake, but she's also a bridesmaid. As she rushes around trying to perform all her duties, a wedding guest is murdered. Apparently, the deceased had dirt about the saintly reverend's past. Did the groom kill the man before he could squeal? Bailey can't believe the kindly man of good would do something so heinous, but someone did. Who? She's determined to find out.
There you go, ten cozy mysteries I want to read that have animals on their covers. Have you read any of them? Do you like cozies? Which are your favorites? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
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There's some cute covers there! I focused on dogs for my TTT.
ReplyDeleteCozy animal companions are usually cats and dogs, but occasionally there are some unique ones, like pot-bellied pigs!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Marg!
Wow, you did well to find so many covers with animals! Clearly, there's a bit of a trend then...
ReplyDeleteFor sure! The main character in a cozy mystery almost always has an animal companion of some sort, mostly dogs and cats. I'm not sure I've ever read one without a pet.
DeleteThanks for stopping in, Marina!
I’m glad your colonoscopy went well. Fingers crossed that your health remains good.
ReplyDeleteCozy mysteries are the best.
I'll be interested to see what the genetic counseling reveals, but I'm really not worried. I'm really NOT looking forward to having to do a yearly colonoscopy, though! Ugh.
DeleteI used to rag on cozy mysteries because they're so light and fluffy, but the older I get, the more I appreciate them for just being nice, easy, clean reads that don't give me nightmares. They're great palette cleansers between heavier reads.
Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lydia!
I didn't participate this week as I am on holiday, but there are definitely lots of cozy mysteries with animals on the cover or in the story. I'm glad you got the colonoscopy, Susan. You never know what can happen with polyps. I am not a fan of the prep either, but as my dad died from colon cancer, I do it faithfully.
ReplyDeleteI assumed I would have no polyps since I have no family history of colon issues, so I was surprised when I had ten. The doctor was shocked by the number and kept saying, "I'm so glad you got a colonoscopy!" I definitely don't want any more problems, so I'll grit my teeth and get the yearly colonoscopy, but I don't have to like it! LOL
DeleteHave a lovely holiday and thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Carla!
I don't really read cozies, but there are some great covers here (and not just cats and dogs!). The cover and title of A Murder Most Fowl made me chuckle.
ReplyDeleteI used to bad mouth cozies, but I enjoy them nowadays. Sometimes you just want a light, easy read that makes you smile, you know?
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Karis! (Also, how did I not notice until know that your name is Karis, not Kris?? I'm sorry I've been calling you Kris all this time!)
These are cute covers! I always seem to find cozies annoying but they do tend to have pets involved! Thanks for dropping by my post!
ReplyDeleteTotally get it! You have to suspend A LOT of disbelief in order to enjoy a cozy mystery. They're often far-fetched and silly, but, yes, there are almost always lovable pets in them.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Athena!
I love cozy mysteries because there's usually a fun pet! :)
ReplyDeleteFor sure! The pets are some of my favorite characters :)
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Danielle!
Nice twist on the prompt. Glad you made it through the prep and procedure ok. I think both are horrid too
ReplyDeleteThey are really, really NOT fun, but I'm glad I chose to do the more invasive procedure since it allowed the doctor to remove the polyps right then and there. An additional procedure would have been even worse!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Brenda!
Ooo! You found some cute covers and titles that look fun. :) May be some I need to add to a TBR. Thanks so much for visiting my list this week.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the procedure went ok despite the rough prep. I hope you are doing well after that and stay healthy.
Luckily, the colonoscopy was quick and easy. I was able to eat immediately afterward (after being on a liquid diet the day before), then take a long nap, both of which had me feeling much, MUCH better!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Rissi!
A Very Woodsy Murder looks fun.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your follow-up appointments.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
I agree. The premise makes me laugh. Hopefully, I can read it soon.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Astilbe!
Cozy mysteries are perfect for a list of animal companions! I haven't read any of these series yet, but several of them are on my TBR. I keep forgetting that I got an ebook copy of the first Booking Agents book! I need to pick that up soon.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the first Booking Agents book. It was a fun read, so I'm planning to move on in the series. I hope you like it when you get to it.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Nicole!
I hope all goes well with the other doctors. Charlotte's Web was such an ugly cry story for me. Is that where it started? Can't remember, but I recall how it was a gut punch for my young, tender heart.
ReplyDeleteFor sure! CHARLOTTE'S WEB and WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS were both such gut-wrenching reads for me as a kid!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Sam!
You remind me I must do that lovely exam. I'm glad they were able to deal with the ones they found for you. Nice list--I've only read a couple of cozy mysteries.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with it! The prep is the worst part of it by far. I'm glad I chose to go with the more invasive procedure for exactly that reason - the doctor was able to remove the polyps right then and there. The experience was not a pleasant one, but I'm glad I got the polyps taken care of.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lisa!
I'm still traumatised by Manchee's death!
ReplyDeleteRight? I'm planning to re-read the series this summer in anticipation of the new book, so I'll have to relive it all over again! Boo hoo. I love Manchee.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Alice!
I'm glad that it all went well and that they are keeping an eye on you.
ReplyDeleteI literally want to read all of those books based on their cover!!!
Right? They're all so cute and fun, which is appropriate since that's what cozies are!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Emily!
I do not seek out animal companions either, so I went a slightly different route. I am glad your colonoscopy was safe, overall. Next year, I recommend asking them about taking pills instead of the drinks. You still have to drink a ton, but it's MUCH easier.
ReplyDeleteSo, my PCP presented several different colonoscopy options, but she recommended the most invasive procedure because, even though the prep is a nightmare, it allows the doctor to remove polyps right then and there. I'm glad I did it that way since I had so many polyps. I've heard that the pills are much, MUCH easier, though.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Cindy!
I think I'll have to try Tamara Berry. Thanks for introducing me!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy her By the Book and Eleanor Wilde series as well as the books she writes as Lucy Gilmore. I wasn't wild about MURDER RUNS IN THE FAMILY, though, which is the beginning of a new series and comes out in August. I hope you enjoy her books when you get to them!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lauren!
I am definitely checking out these books because I love a good cozy book with an animal companion! I am one of those who loves a good animal companion story.
ReplyDeleteThese books would be perfect for you then! Most cozies feature a lovable animal companion of some sort.
DeleteThanks for popping by, Angie!
These are all cute, I just love this cozy illustrated style of book cover😁 My favorite is the bear!
ReplyDeleteThey're fun, aren't they? And very reflective of the easy, breezy stories inside. The bear is definitely a unique animal companion :)
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Tammy!
You have some very cute covers here. The bear and the chicken are fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI love the bear. The chickens are a little different since they're dinner not companions, but I wanted some variety! Ha ha.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by an commenting, Emma!
Glad your colonoscopy went well. At least you could have one after the ordeal of the prep, after the prep didn't work for me at home, they put me in hospital where I had to stay for three days until they finally said they wouldn't be able to do it. So, lots of prep and no result.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds terrible! I'm so sorry. I threw up some of the prep, but I ingested enough to get the job done, thank goodness. And as miserable as it all was, I'm glad I got to be in my own home not in the hospital. That would just make everything worse.
DeleteI've done animals before and therefore didn't participate this week. But it's nice to see everyone else's.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I've probably done animal-themed TTTs before as well, but not recently, so I went with it!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Marianne!
These are some really cute covers! I don't really ever read cozy mysteries, but these covers make me want to start. :) I'm glad your colonoscopy went well. The prep is definitely no fun, but I'm glad they were able to catch your polyps before things got any worse.
ReplyDeleteGreat choices! I think one of the reasons I read cozies so much is the animals on the cover. I love the Amanda Flower one because Jasper the pig is on the cover.
ReplyDelete