Disclaimer: This is Book #3 in the series. It is important to read the first two books, they are connected. Juneau Black is a duo but I will just say author instead of saying authors. For my reviews on Book #1 & #2 please go to: https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/brideal

Summary: Welcome back to Shady Hollow. It is autumn in this quaint little town and after the drama of the season before, everyone is ready to move on. Vera Vixen and her friends are enjoying the autumn festival when a surprise election rocks the town. On top of that, one of the residents is convinced that her husband is dead, even though he is standing right in front of her! It is up to Vera, reporter and amateur sleuth, to solve this strange mystery and put things back in order.

Review: Shady Hollow is a strange and beautiful place. I love the atmosphere that the author was able to create. The way that they described the forest and the changing leaves. The crispness of the air, the maple and pumpkin flavors makes me miss the autumn season. Using animals as the main cast is still fun and unique to me. Of course, I have seen this in movies and in other fantasy books but in a cozy mystery, I didn’t think it would work. However, it does on so many levels. The characters are loveable, entertaining and reminds me of Murder She Wrote mixed with Zootopia. Vera and her best friend, Lenore are my favorite characters of the series so far. Their dynamic is funny and I love how they support and look out for each other. I do think that Vera’s love interest is weird given the fact that he is a bear and she is a fox but somehow, they make it work.

Now, on to the mystery part of the book.  Dorothy “Dotty” Springfield is convinced that her husband was murdered in her absence and the man or rat, that looks exactly like her husband is an imposter. The twists and turns of this mystery were done well. I was trying to figure out the truth with Vera. While going through the investigation, it looked like it would go one way but when it did not happen, it left me wondering how this would play out. The author expanded the Shady Hollow world and added some interesting characters to help and hinder the investigation. There was an eeriness to it that I recognized from the first book. Walking through the forest in the dark. Mysterious shapes hiding in the shadows of buildings and trees. Creaky floorboards and noises echoing in the forest. While it does not have the grit and grime of a thriller, it still has the capability to of making you look behind you when out for a walk.

Overall, I love the Shady Hollow series. I think this is a unique and fun series for someone to explore. While the animal characters might throw you off, don’t let that stop you. You will learn to love the characters and try to solve the mysteries with the cozy residents of Shady Hollow.

Rating: 4/5