Peg and Rose Stir Up Trouble

May 1, 2023
Berenson’s appealing yet meandering second cozy featuring sexagenarian dog show judge Peg Turnbull and her sister-in-law Rose Donovan (after 2022’s Peg and Rose Solve a Murder) finds Rose meddling in Peg’s private life. She convinces the widowed Peg to sign up for a seniors-focused dating site and, after a few false starts, Peg meets Nolan Abercrombie, a witty, urbane suitor who “looks like George Clooney’s father.” When he expresses an interest in dogs, the usually intractable Peg is enchanted. Her elation is short-lived, though: Nolan is killed in a hit-and-run just a few weeks after they start dating. The police believe it’s an accident, but Peg and Rose suspect foul play. As the bickering best friends dig into Nolan’s background, their list of possible suspects increases, and Peg starts to fear someone from her beloved’s complicated past was out to get him. Peg and Rose’s interplay is more lived in and endearing than it was in their last outing, and Berenson supplements the mystery with several welcome trips to the dog show ring. This will appeal to dog lovers and mystery readers who prefer a pleasant stroll over a race to the finish line. Agent: Meg Ruley, Jane Rotrosen Agency.