I'm Ellie Hart, and when a dog walking job falls in my lap, it looks like my luck has changed. Changed for the worst, that is, when the first thing I do is stumble upon a body. And the new detective in town happens to be the most eligible bachelor around. And my new boss's grandson. I've signed on for way more than I'd ever wanted. With my job on the line, my black Lab at my side, and donuts in hand, my only choice is to follow the clues.

Bells, Tails & Murder is the delightful first book in the Dickens & Christie Mystery series. If you like spunky literary women, amusing animal sidekicks, and inviting cultural backdrops, then you'll love Kathy Manos Penn's engaging cozy mysteries.

Ivy Galloway doesn’t know how desperate she is to escape the big city and her soul-sucking corporate career until she meets a sheepdog also in need of rescue. Ivy has downsized so much staff that her boss calls her “the grim reaper” of HR, but it’s the only job she’s known. It would take something huge to make her leave that behind.

After graduating from culinary school, Juliet Capshaw returns to her quaint hometown of Ashland, Oregon, to heal a broken heart and help her mom at the family bakery. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is bringing in lots of tourists looking for some crumpets to go with their heroic couplets. But when one of Torte's customers turns up dead, there's much ado about murder.

Few can compete with the Natasha Smith when it comes to entertaining, but her childhood rival, Sophie Winston, certainly tries. While Natasha is known for her intricate centerpieces and painstakingly prepared gourmet meals, Sophie likes to keep things simple...real simple.