Bethany Blake
Bethany Blake has published 6 books across 2 series. The recommended reading order starts with Death by Chocolate Lab (2017).
Bethany Blake is an American author of cozy mystery novels, best known for her Lucky Paws Petsitting Mysteries series. Her debut novel, Death by Chocolate Lab, was released in 2017. Blake holds a Ph.D. and operates Barkley’s Premium Pet Care, a pet sitting business that mirrors the profession of her protagonist, Daphne Templeton. Her experiences in animal care inform her writing, as does her lifelong passion for horses. Blake lives in a small town in Pennsylvania with her husband and three daughters, where she wrangles a diverse collection of animals, including a nervous pit bull, a feline, a blind goldfish, and an attack cardinal named Robert. This menagerie provides ample inspiration for the quirky characters and animal-centric plots that define her work.
Shelf & Shadows
Order of Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery Books
- TagsmysterycrimeDescriptionWhat happens when a pet sitter stumbles into murder, and the only witnesses have four legs and can't testify? In a cozy mystery that pairs animal charm with genuine suspense, Bethany Blake introduces us to a world where caring for other people's pets means getting tangled in their darkest secrets. The Lucky Paws mysteries follow a protagonist whose professional life revolves around dogs, cats, and the occasional exotic creature—but whose amateur sleuthing skills are put to the test when someone turns up dead. A chocolate Labrador may hold the key to solving the crime, but separating innocent canine behavior from crucial clues requires more than just a love of animals. It demands attention to detail, a willingness to ask uncomfortable questions, and the courage to follow leads into dangerous territory. The stakes rise as our pet sitter realizes that whoever committed murder might not hesitate to silence a meddling dog walker. Blake crafts a mystery that understands its audience: readers who want their tension leavened with warmth, their danger softened by wagging tails. The animals aren't mere props—they're characters with personalities, quirks, and the kind of unconditional loyalty that makes humans look complicated by comparison. This is comfort reading with teeth, a cozy that doesn't forget someone died, even as it reminds us why we keep loving, keep trusting, keep opening our homes to creatures who depend on us completely.Publication dateFebruary 28, 2017Amazon rating4.3/5Print length352LanguageEnglishPublisherKensington
- TagsmysterycrimeromanceDescriptionDaphne Templeton is juggling leashes, litter boxes, and a murder investigation she never asked for. The pet sitter stumbles into trouble when one of her clients turns up dead, and suddenly her cozy small-town life in Sylvan Creek, Pennsylvania, becomes anything but peaceful. With a menagerie of furry companions at her side and a knack for landing in the wrong place at the wrong time, she's determined to sniff out the truth before the killer strikes again. The atmosphere here is pure cozy charm with a bite—think autumn leaves, quirky neighbors, and animals with more personality than most humans. Blake builds a world where the pets aren't just props; they're accomplices, confidants, and occasionally the only witnesses to murder. Daphne's voice is warm and self-deprecating, the kind of narrator who'll make you laugh even as she's dodging danger. The mystery unfolds with just enough red herrings to keep you guessing, and the small-town setting crackles with secrets lurking beneath its picturesque surface. This is comfort reading with claws. If you're drawn to mysteries where the stakes feel personal, the community feels lived-in, and the animals steal every scene they're in, Dial Meow for Murder delivers. It's the kind of book that pairs perfectly with a mug of tea, a purring cat, and an afternoon you don't want to end. Blake knows exactly what cozy mystery readers crave, and she serves it up with style.Publication date2017
- TagsmysteryDescriptionThere's something about a cozy mystery set in the dead of winter that makes you want to curl up with a mug of something warm and let the world outside fade away. *A Midwinter's Tail* delivers exactly that kind of comfort, wrapped in fur and dusted with snow. Bethany Blake's Lucky Paws series has carved out its niche in the pet-sitting mystery subgenre, and this installment leans into the charm that makes these books work: animals with personality, a small-town setting where everyone knows everyone's business, and a protagonist who stumbles into danger while caring for other people's beloved companions. The midwinter setting adds atmospheric weight—short days, long nights, and the kind of cold that keeps secrets buried until spring. What makes this series appealing is its gentle pacing and genuine affection for animals. Blake doesn't just use pets as props; they're integral to the plot and the emotional texture of the story. The mystery itself unfolds with the cozy genre's signature blend of amateur sleuthing and community intrigue, where motives are personal and the stakes feel intimate rather than explosive. If you're looking for a book that prioritizes warmth over violence, cleverness over shock value, and the company of four-legged friends over hard-boiled detectives, this is your winter read. It's comfort food in paperback form—and sometimes, that's exactly what matters.Publication date2018
- TagsmysterycrimeDescriptionDaphne Templeton is juggling more than just leashes and kibble—she's running a pet-sitting business in a small town where the animals are adorable and the humans are, well, complicated. When a local mystery lands at her doorstep, she finds herself tangled up in something far more dangerous than a misbehaving poodle. With her loyal canine companions by her side, Daphne has to sniff out clues while keeping her furry clients safe and happy. The stakes are higher than a game of fetch. Someone in town has secrets worth killing for, and Daphne's nosiness might just put her on the wrong side of a very determined culprit. Between walking dogs, feeding cats, and trying to keep her own life from unraveling, she's racing to piece together a puzzle that involves jealousy, betrayal, and a whole lot of small-town drama. Every lead brings her closer to the truth—and closer to danger. This is cozy mystery at its warmest: a world where pets are family, neighbors know your business, and murder disrupts the peace in the most inconvenient way possible. Bethany Blake delivers charm, wit, and just enough suspense to keep you turning pages late into the night. If you love amateur sleuths with heart, four-legged sidekicks, and mysteries that feel like coming home, Daphne's latest predicament is exactly where you want to be.Publication date2018
- TagsmysteryDescriptionA wedding should be a joyous occasion, but when you're a pet sitter with a knack for stumbling into trouble, even the most carefully planned nuptials can turn deadly. Daphne Templeton finds herself juggling more than just bouquets and bridezillas when murder crashes the celebration, and her four-legged companions may hold the only clues to solving the crime. The idyllic town of Sylvan Creek becomes the backdrop for matrimonial mayhem, where something old meets something sinister. With her characteristic blend of curiosity and determination, Daphne must navigate the treacherous waters of wedding politics while untangling a mystery that threatens to unravel more than just seating arrangements. Her loyal animal friends—each with their own peculiar personalities—provide both comic relief and unexpected insights as the investigation deepens. Between managing temperamental pets and even more temperamental wedding guests, Daphne discovers that everyone has secrets worth protecting. The closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous her amateur sleuthing becomes, putting both her safety and the wedding itself in jeopardy. Blake delivers another charming installment in her cozy mystery series, where small-town charm collides with genuine suspense. The animals steal scenes as readily as Daphne steals hearts, creating a mystery that's equal parts whimsical and whodunit—perfect for readers who like their murders served with a side of fur and affection.Publication date2019
Order of Owl & Crescent Mystery Books
- TagsmysterycrimeDescriptionBethany Blake's protagonist finds herself navigating the peculiar intersection of art and mortality, where a simple brushstroke becomes the prelude to something far more sinister. In the world of the Order of Owl & Crescent, mysteries don't announce themselves with fanfare—they arrive quietly, like paint drying on canvas, and then suddenly demand attention when the body appears. The central question here is one of motive and method, wrapped in the trappings of a community where creativity and secrecy walk hand in hand. Someone has turned the act of creation into an act of destruction, and the investigation must untangle not just who wielded the fatal instrument, but why this particular victim, in this particular moment, had to be silenced. The stakes are personal and communal, threatening to expose secrets that have long been hidden beneath layers of propriety and artistic pretension. Blake constructs her mystery with the patience of a portrait artist, building detail upon detail until the full picture emerges. The Order of Owl & Crescent setting provides an atmospheric backdrop—a place where ritual and routine create both comfort and cover for darker impulses. This is cozy mystery with an edge, where the charm of small-town intrigue meets the genuine danger of someone willing to kill to protect what they've built or buried.Publication date2019
Frequently Asked Questions about Bethany Blake
Bethany Blake writes mystery novels. She is known for two series: the Order of Lucky Paws Petsitting Mysteries and the Order of Owl & Crescent Mysteries. The books within each series should be read in the order they were published to best follow the characters' development and ongoing plots. The Lucky Paws series began in 2017, and the Owl & Crescent series began in 2019. Reading the series in publication order is recommended for the fullest experience.
A good starting point for Bethany Blake's books is the first novel in the Order of Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery series, Death by Chocolate Lab, published in 2017. This book introduces the main characters and the setting of the series, establishing the cozy mystery tone. Following this with the subsequent books in the Lucky Paws series will provide a clear progression of the story and characters. Alternatively, A Brushstroke with Death, the first in the Order of Owl & Crescent series, also published in 2019, offers a different set of characters and mysteries.
While some readers may enjoy picking up individual titles, reading Bethany Blake's books in order is recommended, especially within each series. The Order of Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery books, for example, feature recurring characters and plotlines that develop over the sequence of novels. Similarly, the Order of Owl & Crescent Mysteries introduces a narrative that benefits from chronological reading. Each series functions as a cohesive whole, and following the publication order ensures a complete understanding of the character arcs and story progression.
Bethany Blake primarily writes books that are part of series. Her known works fall into two distinct series: the Order of Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery Books and the Order of Owl & Crescent Mystery Books. Each book within these series is connected to the others through characters and plot developments, suggesting that they are intended to be read sequentially within their respective series rather than as standalone novels. There are no standalone novels listed in her published works.
Bethany Blake has written a total of six books across her two mystery series. The Order of Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery series includes five titles: Death by Chocolate Lab (2017), Dial Meow for Murder (2017), A Midwinter's Tail (2018), Pawprints & Predicaments (2018), and Something Borrowed, Something Mewed (2019). The Order of Owl & Crescent Mystery series currently consists of one title, A Brushstroke with Death (2019). This brings her total to six published books.
The first book Bethany Blake wrote in the Order of Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery series is Death by Chocolate Lab, published in 2017. This novel launched the series and introduced readers to the quirky world of pet sitters solving mysteries. It sets the stage for the subsequent books in the series, establishing the tone and the main characters. A Brushstroke with Death, the first book in her other series, was published later in 2019.
The most recent book published by Bethany Blake is A Brushstroke with Death, which is part of the Order of Owl & Crescent Mystery series. This book was released in 2019. It is the sole entry in this particular series to date. Her other series, the Order of Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery Books, concluded its known publications in 2019 with Something Borrowed, Something Mewed.
Bethany Blake writes mystery novels. Her work is characterized by cozy mystery elements, often featuring amateur sleuths and intriguing puzzles. The two series she has written, the Order of Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery Books and the Order of Owl & Crescent Mystery Books, fall squarely within this genre. These books typically involve a blend of suspense, humor, and character-driven narratives, appealing to readers who enjoy lighthearted yet engaging detective stories.
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We verified the reading order for Bethany Blake's books by cross-referencing official publication dates, ISBN databases, and publisher catalogs.
Last verified: July 2026
Shelf & Shadows. (…). “Bethany Blake Books in Order.” Retrieved …, from https://www.shelfandshadows.com/authors/bethany-blake