• Mastiffs, Mystery, and Murder

  • A Dog Detective Series Novel, Volume 1
  • By: Sandra Baublitz
  • Narrated by: Nancy Bober
  • Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins
  • 3.9 out of 5 stars (34 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Mastiffs, Mystery, and Murder  By  cover art

Mastiffs, Mystery, and Murder

By: Sandra Baublitz
Narrated by: Nancy Bober
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.95

Buy for $19.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

It's murder at the dog show!

When amateur sleuth Clarissa Hayes and her trusty Saint Bernard, Paw, enter a dog show, they expect to find dogs, blue ribbons, and trophies. Not dead bodies. Clarissa's boyfriend is tracking a suspect in the death of a dog fancier. It's up to Clarissa and Paw to provide him cover as they compete in the show.

But the competition turns deadly when another dog owner is murdered. Are the deaths connected? Clarissa and Paw must sniff out the clues to solve the crime before the killer collars them.

Will Best in Show become Best in Death?

©2017 Sandra Baublitz (P)2017 Sandra Baublitz

What listeners say about Mastiffs, Mystery, and Murder

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    14
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    13
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    12
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Felt like a book for children with adult character

Clarissa’s boyfriend is chasing the murderer of a dog owner, famous around dog shows. He suspects from somebody related to the shows, so they enroll Paw, Clarissa’s Saint Bernard in order to do try to find the culprit.

Cozy mysteries is one of my favorite genre, and I always jump in with both feet whenever I have the opportunity. I have to say that I was disappointed at this one. I expected a more mature book. Don’t misunderstand me, I have listened to cozy mysteries for young adults and even pre-teens, but it was clear that they were focused to that kind of audience. I had the impression that this one was focused on an adult audience, but the story felt simplistic and plain. I think this book, to work well, should be rewritten. It’s odd to have a book for teens with adult main characters, and if you want it like this, then write a book for grown ups.

The characters were one dimensional, and I found Clarissa and her boyfriend relationship quite weird by nowadays standards. They know each other quite well to the point that Clarissa’s dog is comfortable with her boyfriend, but they reserve a hotel room and they don’t want to share a bed to sleep because they have not reached that point in their relationship. Say what? Again, this could be justified if the main audience is young adults, but even like that it’s just plain weird.

I also think that Baublitz should have investigated a bit more about dog shows before attempting to write a book about them. Some things felt really childish, like how easy is for Clarissa’s boyfriend to enroll Paw in the show, and how well Paw and Clarissa did just after a couple of hours of training. C’mon, be at least a bit realistic. With details like this it feels like this is a children book.

I think I was bothered by all these things to really care about the mystery, and I felt no urgency to know who was the murderer, nor I really cared if anything happened to any of the characters.

Nancy Bober’s narration was okay, but the character’s interpretations felt quite stiff. It felt more like reading than narrating.

I received a copy of this book in audio format from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Those darn dogs.

Love it. The story line was great. I enjoyed the antics of the dogs. The story is about clarissa who owns a St. Benard named Paws. She enters him in a dog show to help with her private eye boyfriend, Bruce, He is doing under cover work at the dog show looking for he murderer of a dog owner. While they are there another owner is killed. Come along with these two and two of there friends as they look for the killer in spite of the police telling them not to get involved. The killer was a surprise. Did not see it coming. The narration for great. I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Fun mystery with dogs

Clarissa Hayes and her trusty St. Bernard, Paw, are helping out her PI boyfriend, Bruce Sevor, are at a dog show to investigate the possible murder of a much-disliked former competitor. It's a problem that neither of them knows anything about dog shows, and Clarissa has never done more than the most rudimentary training with Paw, but he is purebred, and a lovely dog. Fortunately, they also get help from friends who are more more interested in the dog show scene, especially Shelbee, who is a pet sitter and dog trainer.

They meet the good, the bad, and the ugly of the dog show scene, which is filled with people who love dogs, and people who are incredibly competitive. At least one looks like a potential murderer, and had clashed with the suspected murder victim in the past. It's a bit inconvenient, as well as unpleasant, when he turns up dead, too, this time obviously murder.

Baublitz clearly knows dogs. Despite two deaths, another owner attacked, and some alarming moments, it's mostly a light, entertaining story where plausibly real dogs, including Paw and the latest murder victim's mastiff, Samuel, get to play plausibly helpful roles in straightening things out.

Some things do work themselves out a bit too simply, but it's a story I was able to relax into, with dogs and dog lovers.

A light, fun read.

I bought this audiobook.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Mastiffs mystery and murder

It’s an OK book entertaining funny a pretty good plot. It wasn’t terrible but it wasn’t the best book. I have a red. Definitely something good to read quick and easy.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Listener received this title free

Great read

Cute cozy and I love all the dogs.

I received a free copy and left my honest review

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
Listener received this title free

3 and a half stars

Mastiffs, Mystery and Murder is an ok cozy mystery. The plot is well developed but I have a couple of problems with the continuity. Clarissa makes several references to other investigations she has participated in to justify why she should take part in Bruce's investigation. Although this is Bruce's investigation, he allows Clarissa too take the lead and do most of the investigation. Clarissa misses blaringly obvious motives and clues to identify the killer. However, the dogs saved the show and the book. If you like dogs with strong personalities, you will love this book.

I received this book for free in exchange for an unbiased review.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Best in Show...

Murder at the dog show and what's the best way to investigate? Why not enter your purebred St Bernard! Paw put his best paw forward, and gave Clarissa and Bruce the opportunity to find out who was responsible for the murder. This was a cute cozy mystery.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Fun Listen!

Both the author and narrator were new to me with this fun listen. The story is a cozy mystery and has some humor. There were also some unexpected scenes in the book, plus a nice resolution. As a large-breed dog owner, I found some of the scenes very realistic. I would definitely listen to more books by both the author and narrator in the future. I requested this review copy audiobook from the author, narrator and/or publisher and have voluntarily written this review.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great!

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. Dogs, a bit of humor and mystery - a really good combination!


I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. The fact that I was gifted this book had no influence over my opinion of it

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Ok

I haven’t listened to others in the series but I found this to be an ok read but not great. I would have like a little more character development and description. It seemed slow although I did enjoy the scenes when the dogs got loose. I might try the author again. The narrator was also ok but not stellar. Her voice was good but she sounded older than I imagined the character and her tone was a but all over. Overall, not my favorite but not the worst either. I received a free review copy of this book and have voluntarily left this review.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!