I returned to the charming little woodland town of Shady Hollow, hoping for more cozy vibes, more critter drama, and maybe a sprinkle of murder—and Cold Clay definitely delivered (with a few bumps along the trail).
Goodreads Blurb:
The second book in the Shady Hollow series, in which some long-buried secrets come to light, throwing suspicion on a beloved local denizen.
It’s autumn in Shady Hollow, and residents are looking forward to harvest feasts. But then a rabbit discovers a grisly crop: the bones of a moose.
Soon, the owner of Joe’s Mug is dragged out of the coffeeshop and questioned by the police about the night his wife walked out of his life–and Shady Hollow–forever. It seems like an open-and-shut case, but dogged reporter Vera Vixen doesn’t believe gentle Joe is a killer. She’ll do anything to prove his innocence… even if it means digging into secrets her neighbors would rather leave buried.
Trigger Warnings: Murder
📝 Review:
I LOOOVE THE SHADY HOLLOW WORLD 🦊🌲✨
Seriously—this cozy woodland murder town has me in a chokehold. The setting? Adorable. The vibes? Immaculate. The ANIMALS LIVING THEIR BEST (and sometimes messy) LIVES? Obsessed.
This second installment deepens the world in all the right ways. We get more insight into the daily lives and relationships of the residents, and it feels like slipping into a warm, flannel-lined universe. ALSO—can we talk about the animal puns?? “Worked our paws off?” YES. That’s all it takes. I am EASILY PLEASED and I make no apologies 🐾
Plot-wise? Eh… not as strong. It’s another murder—but this time, a cold case from a decade ago. And listen… I love a cozy whodunnit, but this one? It was so predictable. Like, painfully obvious. A new person shows up in town? Acting sus from page one? Gee, I WONDER IF THEY’RE CONNECTED TO THE MURDER 🙃
Did the authors know we’d figure it out instantly? I kinda think they did… which makes it almost campy. I wasn’t mad about it, but I definitely wasn’t shocked either.
That said—watching our fave investigative reporter Vera Vixen 🦊 piece everything together was still FUN. I absolutely loved how she’s learning from her past mistakes and being more thoughtful about how she handles the investigation (character growth?? We love to see it 👏). I felt like I knew enough to follow the mystery but still wanted more from the overall narrative.
And am I gonna read the next one? HELL YEAH. I already bought the books soooo 🤷♀️
Because sometimes you don’t need twists and turns. Sometimes you just need forest creatures sipping coffee and uncovering small-town secrets 🍁🦉☕
📊 Ratings:
| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| ✍️ Writing | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 🌍 Setting | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 👩❤️👨 Characters | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 📚 Plot | ⭐⭐ |
| ⭐ Overall | ⭐⭐⭐ |
💭 Final Thoughts:
Cold Clay gave me exactly what I came for: cozy woodland vibes, quirky characters, and a light mystery to keep things moving. It wasn’t shocking, but it was comforting—and sometimes, that’s exactly what I’m looking for in a read. If you’re into soft mysteries with charm for days (and animal puns), Shady Hollow continues to deliver 🦝📖
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