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    Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass
    Unavailable
    Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass
    Unavailable
    Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass
    Ebook273 pages3 hours

    Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass

    By Heather Day Gilbert

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    When exotic pet-sitter Belinda Blake moves into a carriage house in tony Greenwich, Connecticut, she’s hoping to find some new clients. Instead she discovers a corpse in the garden—and a knack for solving murders . . .  
     
    Pet-sitter Belinda Blake doesn’t rattle easily, but move-in day has been eventful, to say the least. The python in her care tried to slither to freedom—just as she met Stone Carrington V, her landlords’ disarmingly handsome son. With the constrictor back in its cage, she heads out to the garden, only to discover a designer shoe poking out of the boxwood hedge—attached to a woman’s dead body.
     
    The victim, Margo Fenton, was a Carrington family friend, and no one in their circle seems above suspicion. Between client trips to Manhattan and visits to her family in upstate New York, Belinda begins to put the pieces together. But though she’s falling for Stone’s numerous charms, Belinda wonders if she’s cozying up to a killer. And soon, daily contact with a deadly reptile might be the least dangerous part of her life . . .
     
    “A humorous series debut with exotic pets and a zany cast of characters. Gilbert’s cozy will make you smile.”
    —Amanda Flower, USA Today bestselling author of Premeditated Peppermint
     
    “Cozy fans will root for pet-sitter Belinda Blake as she unravels this cleverly-crafted mystery in a delightfully-deadly new series by Heather Day Gilbert.”
    —Elizabeth Spann Craig, author of the bestselling Myrtle Clover Mysteries
     
    “Smart and fresh, with a compelling mystery at its heart, Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass is an enchanting cozy that will hook you from page one. As will amateur sleuth Belinda Blake, a delightfully original heroine you’ll want to meet again and again.”
    —Karin Kaufman, author of the bestselling Juniper Grove Cozy Mystery Series
     
    “Snakes rank only slightly more favorably with me than spiders, leeches, and ticks. So you can imagine my surprise when, by the end of this book, the snake was my second favorite character after Belinda herself. On top of being a great book for animal-lovers (trust me, you’ll love even the snake), this was a fun read with a smart sleuth. I can’t wait to see what Belinda does next, where both pets and perps are concerned.”
    —Emily James, award-winning and bestselling cozy mystery author
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLyrical Press
    Release dateJun 25, 2019
    ISBN9781516108817
    Unavailable
    Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass
    Author

    Heather Day Gilbert

    Heather Day Gilbert, an ECPA Christy award finalist and Grace award winner, writes contemporary mysteries and Viking historicals. Her novels feature small towns, family relationships, and women who aren’t afraid to protect those they love. Like Belinda Blake, Heather plays video games, although so far she hasn/t done any exotic pet-sitting or hunted any murderers.

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    Reviews for Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass

    3.5/5

    2 ratings2 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass is a lighthearted cozy mystery. Belinda Blake earns her living minding exotic animals (no dog or cats for her) while their owners are out of town and writing video game review articles. She wanted to expand her pet sitting business and thought Greenwich would be the perfect locale. Belinda was looking forward to a quieter life and getting her hands dirty in the gardens surrounding her cottage. While doing a little weeding, Belinda finds a body. She is suddenly dashing around town with the charming Stone Carrington V. Belinda is an introvert with a quirky wardrobe who likes to read Agatha Christie, play video games, and gardening. I like that Belinda actively investigates Margo’s murder by questioning various suspects and searching for clues. There are multiple suspects, pointed clues and a red herring or two. Might even be a twist to shock you. For those who have an aversion to slithery creatures, you might find the details regarding the Rasputin a little hard to read. There are details on Rasputin’s food, his daily habits, giving the creature a bath, transporting him to Manhattan and back, and taking him for a walk (gives me the shivers). There are a couple of romantic interests for Belinda including Stone V and a dairy farmer. I felt that information on Belinda was lacking (needed more details). It was nice to get to know her family while Belinda spent Thanksgiving at home. The family farm is charming, and I found the mother humorous (makes me wish the book was set in Larches Corner). I appreciated the wrap up at the end. There is a preview of the Belinda Blake and the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing. Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass is an upbeat cozy mystery with Louboutin heels, chauffeured cars, a debonair gentleman, a massive mansion, a quirky amateur sleuth, and a slithering serpent named Rasputin.
    • 4/5
      I am a big fan of Heather Day Gilbert’s mysteries. Her Murder in The Mountains series is one of my all-time favorites in the genre. Her newest endeavor is sure to become another fan favorite. Belinda Blake And The Snake in The Grass, book 1 in the Exotic Pet-Sitter Mystery series, introduces the reader to a wonderful character who manages to insert herself into all the murderous goings-on around her. Belinda is a fun character, independent, with a unique style, who has chosen unconventional pathways to a career. She freelances reviews of video games while being the go-to caretaker for very unusual pets. In this first novel, she is pet-sitting a python — clearly not a cuddly creature — which takes some stamina and grit to attend to. Belinda’s earnest and sometimes naive view on the world is endearing. I loved Belinda’s first person insights of the wealthy of Greenwich, Connecticut. She is mostly spot on in her estimation of the other characters. But, she can be fooled! The mystery takes off from the start as Belinda finds a body in her flower bed and continues as she joins the heir of the manor in finding out whodunit. When Belinda finds herself all on her own, the reader discovers the depths of her intuition and ingenuity. I didn’t quite have the mystery solved; Gilbert managed to surprise me with several twists and turns. I loved that! The mystery is resolved in the first book, but there is much more to come for Belinda, including a possible love interest or two. I am looking forward to joining Belinda on more adventures.If you are looking for a great cozy mystery, get in on the ground floor of the Belinda Blake series. A fun puzzler, Belinda Blake And The Snake in The Grass gets a recommended rating from me.Recommended.Audience: adults.(Thanks to the author for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)