My name is Peg Turnbull. I’m seventy-two years old and proud of it. Not only am I still here, I’m busy every day. I breed Standard Poodles, I work as a dog show judge, and I spend a lot of time telling people what to do. Because in my experience, most of them don’t have a clue.

Take my sister-in-law, Rose Donovan, who used to be a nun. Though the woman knows next to nothing about dating, she decided she was going to sign me up for a dating app. At my age, I was sure that my dating days were long behind me. But Rose was determined and I was curious.

It turned out neither of us got what we expected.

At first things didn’t go well. Meeting up with strange men in public places, and trying to quickly form a connection, felt awkward and off-putting. Then I accepted a date with Nolan Abercrombie. The man was smart, handsome, and interesting. Even better, he was interested in what I had to say. He also professed to love dogs. I probably should have known that Nolan was too good to be true.

Unfortunately, by the time I began to figure that out, he was dead.

I’ve always been an inquisitive person. I want to know how things work, and why. So when Nolan was killed in a hit and run accident that soon began to look more like a premeditated murder, it was inevitable that I would start asking questions. And that Rose would want to tag along. Which wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

Rose and I have lots of history together. Almost none of it is good. I once accused her of murdering someone. She once tried to call the wrath of God down on me. So this new, mature, relationship we’re trying to establish is full of ups and downs. Although, honestly, that’s one of the things that keeps it interesting.

Maybe someday Rose will admit that I can sprint faster than she can. Maybe I’ll admit that she’s a pretty smart cookie for someone who chose to cloister herself away for decades. Or maybe we’ll just keep butting heads until we finally figure out how to get along.

In the meantime, we need to figure out what happened to Nolan. The more questions we ask, the more we realize that he was man who deserved to die. Even though he liked dogs. Or said he did, anyway.

One thing I know for sure. I never should have believed a word that came out of that man’s mouth.

Peg and Rose Stir Up Trouble, A Senior Sleuths Mystery Book #2
Genre: Cozy
Release: July 2023
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link

Murder, She Wrote meets The Odd Couple in award-winning author Laurien Berenson’s brand-new mystery series, spun off from her much-loved Melanie Travis Canine series and featuring Melanie’s elderly aunts—tough-as-nails Peg and soft-spoken Rose—who’ll put their differences aside to stop a killer, if they don’t throttle each other first. The latest installment will tickle all cozy lovers, especially fans of “senior” sleuths in the tradition of Miss Marple and Jessica Fletcher.

When a typically closed-off Peg attempts online dating at Rose’s strong urging, the experience plays out like an embarrassing mistake. At least, until she matches with Nolan Abercrombie—intelligent, attractive, and a self-proclaimed dog lover. The two share an instant connection that has Peg cautiously excited to finally bring someone special into her busy world of Standard Poodles and conformation shows.

Before Peg can admit that Rose was right and let down her walls for the budding romance, a terrible accident claims Nolan’s life. As details about his background and tragic death come to light, Peg has a serious hunch that someone successfully plotted to kill her first real date in decades . . .

With suspects galore and a slew of puzzling clues to peel through, Peg and Rose team up to solve a dangerous mystery unfolding before their eyes. The question is: Can the unlikely duo turn their radically different personalities into an advantage as they scramble to ID the guilty culprit—or will they manage to work against each other and find themselves precisely where a meticulous murderer wants them to be?

About the author
Laurien Berenson is the author of the long running Melanie Travis mystery series and her new Senior Sleuths series which includes Peg And Rose Stir Up Trouble. Her books have won or been nominated for the Maxwell Award for Dog Fiction, RT Reviewer’s Choice Award, Agatha and Macavity awards. She lives on a farm in Kentucky, surrounded by dogs and horses.

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