Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Who said pet-sitting would be a walk in the park?”

I can’t remember the last cosy mystery that had me as intrigued as this one did! It’s original, it’s thrilling and is actually funny! The characters will certainly have a place in your heart I guarantee, and knowing this book is the first in a new series has me super excited for what will come next! I’m so happy to be joining the book tour for The Boot Camp Murder – thanks Zooloo’s Book Tours for having me!

About the book

An ambitious high-achieving young woman, unfairly bullied from her job, her career in ruins; her brother, a charming slacker getting by on good looks and charisma; an out-of-control unstoppable terrier called Winkle, and a popular social media star bludgeoned to death – who said pet-sitting would be a walk in the park?

Monica was on the corporate ladder striving to be a high-flying executive, but when the misogynistic bullying from the privileged pale stale males becomes too much she snaps and quits on the spot. At her lowest ebb, a chance remark from her charming slacker brother Paddy identifies a business opportunity – she becomes a pet-sitter! She’s enthusiastic, she loves animals, and she’s got the management it’s bound to be a success, isn’t it?

Monica quickly finds dealing with her team of misfits as easy as herding kittens. Monica and Paddy soon very publicly clash with a much beloved personal trainer that has made their local park his own personal kingdom. However, after he is brutally murdered with his own dumbbell, legions of his online devotees are quick to pronounce Monica guilty in the court of social media opinion. When the demands for retribution threaten to overspill into Monica’s real life, she knows she must find the killer before the lynch mob comes for her…

The beginning

Oh Monica! From the moment she quit her job, walked away from her toxic and belittling boss and decided to look towards her future, I was rooting for her (which was all in the space of a few pages!) We get to know so much about Monica in the first couple of chapters, and it really took no time at all to get into this story. The effortless introduction of characters, the beautiful description and the perfect humour made this book such a joy to sit down with right from the start. Monica’s brother, Paddy, was equally as loveable and I knew when paired together, their journey was going to be a memorable and eventful one! When the idea for We Sit Pets comes to fruition, a dog sitting and walking service run by Monica and Paddy, I never imagined what would come of it, but I completely fell in love with it all. I felt so curious about where things could go!

“Monica took a long deep breath, closed her eyes and looked inward for her happy place only to find it boarded up, burnt out and smouldering.”

Paddy’s arch enemy and insufferable personal trainer/social media star, Boot Camp Dan, was definitely a character you love to hate. And after little border terrier, Winkle, breaks free from Monica and completely ruins his livestream, it was clear that there’d be hell to pay. The book already had some random and chaotic moments and I bloody loved it all! A murder/mystery with such a fun side isn’t something I’ve read too much of, so it really felt like a breath of fresh air to me. However, the tone of the book changes as we discover the murder of our least favourite PT in a very public reveal. My mind instantly started going through all the characters we’d met so far, thinking of any motive they’d have to commit a murder, any reason they’d have to despise Boot Camp Dan. I had a couple of people at the top of my list here, but it was certainly early days. I couldn’t wait to get stuck in and solve this mystery with these brilliant characters!

The middle

I really enjoyed reading from multiple character perspectives. A favourite was Detective Constable Nicci Sharma, such a brilliant character who brought so much colour to the scenes she was in. I loved her attitude, her dedication, her wit. She’s the sort of character I wish was in every book I read! As the task of finding the killer really begins, Detectives focus on four particular people as suspects, two of which are Monica and Paddy. Not only do they have to clear their names, but they also have the task of creating a successful business launch! How on earth would they make a positive name for themselves when they’re suspects in a murder investigation?! The author consistently makes each chapter as fun and intriguing as possible, whilst also balancing the serious fact that someone has been murdered. It felt like such a unique angle and was written to absolute perfection.

“Just as he was about to take his chance, they re-emerged from the house; this time the woman was dragged along the street by a greyish, blueish creature he assumed was a dog but was much the same size and shape as a pumpkin.”

We learn much more of Dan’s backstory and how he’s been in trouble in the past (thanks to the wonderful Hazel who really had done some extensive research, another character I adored!) and we experience the growth of new relationships and friendships. Every little detail the author injects into this story just fits perfectly, the cosy mystery feel of this book is absolutely spot on. Detective Canning, someone with no relevant experience for his role who picks up everything he knows from films and TV shows gave me such a laugh. Such a brilliant idea for a quirky, memorable character! But his lack of experience meant he was potentially dangerous. What if he puts the wrong people away while he’s looking for a quick arrest? What if it’s Monica and Paddy who pay the price?! I was always thinking about how they could prove their innocence and just who the real culprit was. I constantly felt so involved with what was happening, and excited about what we’d discover by the end.

The end

Things really began to heat up as Monica and her team discover some odd information about a character who worked closely with Boot Camp Dan, James Doyle. I loved just how much Monica had taken this case in her stride, determined to find out exactly who had killed Dan and who was hiding such a big secret. There were so many little twists, uncovered secrets and snippets of information to mull over, and each scene felt so true to the genre. The way the author keeps you engaged and wondering was such a huge reason for why I was so keen to pick this book up each evening! It was around this point where I thought I had the culprit nailed, and it felt very satisfying. However, I was certainly in a bit of shock with what came next! The author managed to string me along thinking one thing, when in fact, the clues to a different culprit were there all along. Genius!

“Paddy’s inner voice began to question the situation: he couldn’t have seen me coming, can’t have been expecting me? Lingering on the doorstep, he heard the scream.”

The book took a different turn towards the ending chapter; the pace was faster, the danger and action ramped up to create some really intense scenes that had me holding my breath. It was such a great contrast to the rest of the book and the way it was all written made these final scenes the most stand out scenes for me. It felt so good from a reader’s perspective, perfectly executed and wrapped up in such a satisfying way. The conclusion was thoroughly explained and I wasn’t left hanging which I really liked, especially for this book! The characters I loved all did their duty to find the truth, and what an unforgettable journey it was. I’m so glad this book is the first in a new series because I am so curious as to how We Sit Pets will develop. Undercover detectives, perhaps? Loved it, and I’m certainly going to be making my way through the author’s list of works after this!

Overall thoughts

The Boot Camp Murder has everything you could possibly want from a cosy mystery. It was such a satisfying read with little twists and red herrings in all the right places. The humour was right up my street and the mystery of who killed Dan was constantly on my mind! The author’s character creation was one of my favourite elements; each so full of personality, characters that really felt like real life people. Of course, the author’s writing deserves a standing ovation too! A fun, intriguing and hugely entertaining mystery. Excited for the rest of the series!

Huge thanks to the author, Matthew Ross, and Zooloo’s Book Tours for my place on the tour and copy of the book! You can grab your own copy of The Boot Camp Murder over on Amazon, available on Kindle and in paperback. Make sure you’re following the author on Twitter/X and Instagram for more updates!

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