Book Review (and a Giveaway!): An Escape Goat by Janna Rollins

AN ESCAPE GOAT by Janna Rollins
SERIES: An Zen Goat Mystery #1
GENRE: Cozy Mystery (Clean, but see reviewer’s note)
PUBLISHER: Level Best Books
RELEASE DATE: March 12, 2024
PAGES: 267

After finding long-lost family through a DNA test, Callie heads to Bobwhite Hollow, New Hampshire, to meet a great-uncle she never knew existed. Charmed by the village and more than half in love with her new family, she decides to stay and open a goat yoga studio and retreat space.

When retreat guest Angilene Claudson turns up dead with a wine glass shattered at her side and Callie’s favorite goat lapping up the spill, the death is written off as an accidental overdose. But when the goat gets sick, Callie’s gut tells her it wasn’t an accident at all. With her new business on the line and a possible murderer staying in the guesthouse, Callie sets to work to uncover the truth and keep her family safe.

I find the concept of goat yoga to be hilariously fun – at least in fiction. I wouldn’t participate to save my life, but I think it’s hysterical to read about other people doing so. Especially when the goats have as much personality as they do in An Escape Goat by Janna Rollins.. and when the person leading the sessions has a brutal goat allergy like Callie does.

Callie’s favorite goat – Bugsy – quickly became mine, too, and I chuckled several times at the scenes he stole along with the Great Pyrenees named Daisy. Her endearing Great Uncle Will and feisty Great Aunt Ellen added even more charm and warmth to this story, which is exactly what poor Callie needs when her debut goat yoga retreat falls apart from the get-go. Add in a swoony vet with Mr. Darcy vibes, a dose of family drama, and a murder mystery with a whole farm full of suspects and you’ve got a story that holds your interest and keeps you invested until the end. I had a feeling I knew who the murderer was early on – and I ended up being right – but I talked myself out of it almost as quickly and kept doing so until Callie unearths evidence that leaves no question as to whodunit.

Bottom Line: An Escape Goat by Janna Rollins combines farmyard mayhem, yummy food, engaging main characters, and a layered mystery to kick off a brand new series that readers will want to follow. I loved the goats (from a safe distance behind the pages of my book) and their hilarious personalities, as well as the romance potential between Callie and Levi for the future. Callie’s first customers were a mix of complicated friends who prove that money can’t buy happiness (or kindness, in most of those cases), which leaves a long list of plausible candidates for the killer among them. An enjoyable new cozy mystery that will appeal to fans of the Farmer’s Daughter mysteries by Peg Cochran and/or the Farm To Table mysteries from Amanda Flower!

Reviewer’s Note: Readers of this blog may want to be aware that there is a gay character who flirts with and dates another gay character, including some mild innuendo. These characters are prominent in the story.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4 stars / enjoyed it

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When Janna Rollins isn’t writing, she likes to thumb through New England-based magazines and drool over the pictures. She has a love for red barns, goats, and genealogy. Janna can be found showing her socially awkward side on Facebook or sharing pictures of her tiny one-acre farm on Instagram. She is a member of Sister In Crime, and also writes the Hometown Hardware Mystery series as Paula Charles. Janna lives in Southwestern Washington with her husband and a whole menagerie of furry and feathered critters. Connect with Janna at her Paula Charles website.

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What about you? What makes you want to read An Escape Goat by Janna Rollins?