Murder at the Steeplechase: A Thrilling Southern Horse Racing Cozy Murder Mystery
A Hattie and Moose Cozy Mystery #8
by Greta Sinclair
Published: May 21, 2026
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Cozy Animal Mystery, Cozy Culinary Mystery
Blurb:
Hattie is looking forward to a stylish day at the Hillshire Farms Steeplechase with her bestie and Detective Bo Beckett. Fancy outfits, horse racing, and Southern fun make it the perfect double date—until the first race ends and the stables turn into a crime scene.
A jockey and his prized horse are found dead inside a stall.
Police call it a tragic accident, since Austin Grimes had medical issues. But Hattie notices something unsettling: his mouth is open, as if he swallowed something. She suspects poisoning—and that means murder.
With authorities determined to take over, Hattie quietly begins her own investigation.
Debts, insurance motives, and scandal swirl around the steeplechase grounds, and nearly everyone has something to hide.
Alongside her grumpy Chow Chow, Moose, feisty Yorkie, Mini Pearl, and crime-magnet British Shorthair, Cecil,— Hattie races to uncover the killer before someone else ends up dead.
Bonus
Recipes Included!
MULTIPLE BESTSELLING AUTHOR AND THE 2025
GLOBAL BOOK AWARDS SILVER MEDAL WINNER FOR A
VERY STICKY MURDER.
If
you enjoy clean cozy mysteries by authors like Ellery Adams, Ashley
Weaver, Poppy Dennison, Jenn McKinlay, and Sophie Green, you’ll
love Murder
at the Steeplechase.
Each book in this series reads as a satisfying standalone — no
cliffhangers, no unfinished threads, just cozy charm and clever
sleuthing.
My Review:
Hattie, along with her boyfriend Detective Bo Beckett, her grumpy Chow Chow Moose, her spirited Yorkie Mini Pearl, and her crime-magnet British Shorthair Cecil, is enjoying a day at the races with her best friend Gracie and Gracie's boyfriend Tim by her side.
Moose, Mini Pearl, and Cecil have the delightful opportunity to meet a few new friends, including Shadow, a cattle dog, and Olive Branch, one of the horses participating in the race.
Everyone is enjoying a wonderful time at the races until Austin Grimes, a jockey, is discovered dead and his horse, Olive, is found drugged in her stall. Initially, it seemed Austin had succumbed to health issues, but upon closer examination, Hattie notices something quite different from the first impression. It appears Austin may have been poisoned.
There are numerous suspects, yet all the evidence seems to point toward one individual in particular. However, she is not the only one who had a motive against Austin or felt wronged by him.
I thoroughly enjoyed the involvement of Moose, Mini Pearl, Cecil, and Shadow in the investigation as they uncovered clues and interviewed the horses to determine whether they had witnessed or heard anything that could help solve Austin's case. Their conversations with one another were quite entertaining.
Murder at the Steeplechase is an incredibly charming and captivating tale that had me racing toward the conclusion as I attempted to uncover the truth about Austin. The story of Murder at the Steeplechase is just as much Mini Pearl, Cecil, Shadow, Olive, and Austin’s story as it is Hattie’s and Moose’s.
The world-building is absolutely splendid and ranks among the best I’ve encountered in a while. I would love to read more stories set at the racetrack and hope to see Moose, Mini Pearl, and Cecil take on larger roles from time to time.
Make sure to grab a copy of Murder at the Steeplechase for another engaging read, and join Hattie, Moose, Mini Pearl, and Cecil for a thrilling day at the races!
0 comments:
Post a Comment