High Jinx: A Paws and Pose Mystery

At the outset of Esposito’s quirky, charming second mystery featuring dog-yoga instructor Elle Pressley and her bulldog mix companion, Buddha (after 2015’s Faux Pas), Elle conducts a “doga” session for Athena, a plump Chihuahua in need of exercise that belongs to Michael and Selene Beckley, at their $30 million mansion on the private Florida Gulf Coast island of Moon Key. After the session, Elle accepts Selene’s invitation to a Halloween party that she and Michael are giving the next night. During the party, which Elle attends with her PI beau, Devon Burke, she goes to the kitchen in search of a drink. There she sees Michael in an Elvis costume hanging by his neck from the kitchen rafters. At first she thinks it’s a prank, but on closer inspection Michael is dead. When the sister of one of Elle’s friends is arrested for the murder, Elle begins her own investigation. Those who like their pet-assisted crime-solving cozies a bit more action-packed than usual will be satisfied. [em](July) [/em]