Sniffing Out Murder by Kallie E. Benjamin

Sniffing Out Murder
by Kallie E. Benjamin

ISBN-13: 9780593547359
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: December 5, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After deciding that life as a teacher wasn’t right for her, Priscilla found inspiration for her first children’s book in her three-year-old bloodhound’s nose for truth, and so The Adventures of Bailey the Bloodhound was born. After the book’s massively pawsitive response led Pris to move back to her hometown of Crosbyville, Indiana, to continue the series, she’s surprised by how things have changed in the town, but even more so how they haven’t.

Pris is frustrated to discover that newly elected school board trustee Whitney Kelley—a former high school mean girl—is intent on making Crosbyville more competitive by eliminating “frivolous spending” on the arts and social programs, including Pris and Bailey’s beloved pet-assisted reading program. A minor altercation between them isn’t anything unusual, but after Bailey sniffs out Whitney’s body in a bed of begonias, Whitney's sister accusses Pris and Bailey of the crime. Pris is determined to clear her name by finding the real killer.


My Review:
Sniffing Out Murder is a cozy mystery. Priscilla's extremely insecure and cared a great deal what others thought about her. Add in that she's very clumsy (at least in the first half of the story), and she's flushing in anger or blushing in embarrassment in nearly every scene. When she found the body, she regretted not taking the time while waiting for the police to arrive to primp and put on more makeup. She didn't spend it looking for clues, either. Bailey, the dog, was the one who kept finding clues, which she passed on to the police along with the town gossip she "happened" to hear.

Whodunit was one of my initial two suspects. I was certain of that person when Pris' best friend gushed a major clue to Pris, yet neither recognized it was a clue. They never figured it out. The killer decided to kill Pris and confessed everything to her at that time. At least Pris managed to save herself.

The author tended to omit needed description or gave it too late. For example, Pris found the body and looked around in panic like she couldn't see if the killer was nearby. Only we later learn that the maze hedge was only 3 foot tall and she could pretty easily see and hear that the maze was empty. I'm confused about what Pris looks like. We're only told that she has grey eyes and dark, curly hair. Since the author made such a point that she had a very visible, bright red blush that traveled up her neck and into her face, I assumed she was fair skinned. However, her hair stylist implied she had "Black hair" and her aunt is dark skinned (which could mean anything from someone who tans dark to an ebony skin).

I don't care about fashion, so I wasn't very interested in a mystery hinging on knowledge about fashion designers and such along with discussions about what clothes she should wear, like to impress a date she didn't really care for. She even invited her true crush to join them on their date. She later initiated a kiss with one man and led him on then encouraged a kiss from her crush while everyone thought she was dating the first man. Hmm. Anyway, not really my type of story. I also fail to see how her middle grade mystery (which read like a board book for young readers) became a best seller. The cozy had no sex and only a few uses of bad language.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.