The Dog Park Murders by Angela Barker

A cozy, seasonal romance-mystery in which a grumpy cafe owner teams up with a sunshiny pet groomer to solve a murder that's shocked the small town of Labrador Falls...before anyone else bites the dust—the perfect blend of Only Murders in the Building and The Pumpkin Spice Café.?

In the small town of Labrador Falls, everyone knows everyone, which means that Juliette Macintyre will always be seen as the daughter of a dirty cop. It doesn’t matter that she’s a dog-grooming, dog-rescuing literal ray of sunshine—when someone strangles the town’s most hated curmudgeon using a leash from Juliette’s business, she’s automatically the police’s prime suspect.

A few people believe she’s innocent, including Juliette’s sister, her best friend and, strangely, the owner of the Brewed Awakening café. Joel Cunningham is the handsomest, grumpiest man to ever craft the perfect latte, and it turns out he’s a pretty good detective. A little too good?

Between staking out the dog park and learning that their cozy little town isn’t as perfect as it seems, Joel and Juliette get closer to the truth…and each other. But can they catch the killer before someone else bites the dust?

Tropes:

• Grumpy/Sunshine
• Right Next Door
• Amateur Sleuths