For our Throwback book this month, we’re diving back into a beloved cozy mystery favorite, No Filter by Heather Day Gilbert. This book has the makings of all the right notes: Coffee, dogs, a mystery, and did we mention coffee? Join us as we reflect on our love of the first book in Heather Day Gilbert’s BARKS & BEANS CAFE cozy mystery series.
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No Filter
Author: Heather Day Gilbert
Genre: Cozy, Culinary Mystery
Series: The Barks & Beans Cafe Mystery Book #1
Fed up with her go-nowhere job, newly single Macy Hatfield moves back to her small hometown in West Virginia. She joins forces with her brother Bo in his crazy new venture—the Barks & Beans Cafe, which caters to dog lovers and coffee drinkers alike.
When a golf instructor is murdered at the nearby spiritual center, Macy winds up adopting his Great Dane. Just after Macy finds a mysterious message sewn under the dog’s collar, her Dane is dognapped. She launches into a relentless search for her newfound canine friend, but along the way, she digs up a cruel and confident killer.
Join siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield as they sniff out crimes in their hometown…with plenty of dogs along for the ride! The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series features a small town, an amateur sleuth, and no swearing or graphic scenes.
On Goodreads, Amazon, and Bookbub.
Review of No Filter by Heather Day Gilbert
This was a nice, laid-back, cozy mystery, along the lines of an Agatha Christie or a Jessica Fletcher mystery. It was a cozy, fun, attention-grabbing, and smile-inducing storyline that makes you feel like you are a part of the mystery.
No Filter was one of the first cozy mysteries I read when I first stumbled upon the genre, and what a wonderfully delightful introduction to the genre it was (I mean, who doesn’t like dogs or coffee?). It is the first book in what is now a nine-book series titled The Barks & Beans Cafe Cozy Mystery series, and to say the least, I was hooked.
I enjoyed No Filter from beginning to end. The way the story unfolded was believable and interesting. It consistently left me wanting to flip the pages to see what would happen next. The character development was done well, and I so enjoyed getting glimpses into their lives, which I am sure will continue in the next book. They were people I could see myself being friends with.
The cozy café setting of this book (not to mention all the coffee and dogs!) was top-notch, and I so enjoyed the mouth-watering descriptions. Simply a fun cozy mystery to read with your morning cup of coffee.
About the Author Heather Day Gilbert
Heather Day Gilbert, an RWA Daphne du Maurier Award-winning author and 2-time ECPA Christy Award finalist, enjoys writing contemporary mysteries and Viking historicals. She brings authentic family relationships to the page, and she particularly delights in heroines who take a stand to protect those they love. Avid readers say Heather’s realistic characters—no matter what century—feel like best friends. When she’s not plotting stories, this native West Virginian can often be found hanging out with her husband and four children, playing video games, or reading Agatha Christie novels.
Find out more at heatherdaygilbert.com.
