Merry Merry Murder – A New Paty Jager Cozy Mystery is the first book in the brand new Cuddle Farm Mystery series by the prolific author. This cozy pet mystery centers on Andi Clark whose therapy animals bring comfort to many people in the community. I was fortunate enough to interview Andi Clark and share her answers with you. This post is part of a blog tour sponsored by the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours which is sponsoring a GIVEAWAY. So, don’t’ forget to enter the Giveaway at the end of the post!
Interview with Andi Clark
Andi, welcome to the Storybook Lady Book Blog. I am so happy to share your comments with my readers.
I understand that you have been a world traveler for decades. Why have you moved back home to small town life?
Thank you for asking. I moved back to small-town living because growing up, I understood that everyone, even if they seemed to be nosy or a busybody, cared about each other. While traveling with my husband, he was my world. WE never stayed anywhere long enough to make friends. When he died unexpectantly, I felt all alone and yearned to be back in a world that I knew with people I knew.
Tell us about your Cuddle Farm. How did you end up running a therapy animal business?
Shortly before my husband passed away, we acquired a dog from one of our jobs. I’d become attached to Cocoa and she to me. When I was overwhelmed with taking care of my husband’s final arrangements and our finances, I had no one to turn to. Cocoa would press against me, when I felt myself spinning out of control. She helped me through the tough days. I researched therapy animals and knew when I arrived back in Oregon, I would dedicate my life to helping others with animals.
I have heard of therapy dogs, but how did you end up adding the farm animals?
Dogs are the most common. However, some people who could benefit from a therapy animal might be scared of dogs or have had bad experiences with them. I thought about this and remembered a goat we had as children, and how it used to make my brother and me laugh when we were feeling down. That’s why I decided to have a goat. Many people also like bunnies because they’re soft and very tactile. If a rabbit has been handled kindly from a young age, it can be very loving and make a wonderful way for small children to talk about their fears and concerns. The mini donkey is included because, while they are playful and can bring smiles, they are also intuitive to human feelings. And the silky chicken- they look so silly that it’s a good icebreaker, since people can’t help but ask if she can see. Of my hens, Chicklet is the one who likes to be petted and talked to. That’s why I have a variety of animals.
It seems that everyone in a small town has secrets. But you have been keeping a secret of your own. What were you and your husband actually employed to do in all of your travels? Why keep that a secret even now? Do you plan on eventually letting people know that you are more than an amateur sleuth?
My husband was hired by countries to find killers and people who embezzled money that law enforcement couldn’t find or gather enough evidence against. We never used our real names because Max felt we could become targets. What we did was not to be aired anywhere. The countries hired us for our discretion, and law enforcement was told by the countries’ leaders to work with us. I don’t want to put myself, my family, or friends in danger by revealing what we really did. And secretly, I feel my husband’s death wasn’t an accident.
Your animals put people at ease. Do you think that they are helpful when you are digging for the truth?
Yes, I believe taking my dogs with me when I’m questioning people helps them feel more at ease and not take my “snooping” too seriously.
It seems like you and your sister have never gotten along. Do you have any idea what her issue is?
I don’t know what her problem is. I have memories of us being friends until the summer my sister’s best friend’s brother went missing.
Tell us about any plans you have for the future?
The only plans I have for the future are to keep helping people with my therapy animals, reconnect with my school friends, and try to help out more at the Wool Shop. Oh, and see if I can discover what hold Viola had over my sister.
Thank you for taking time to answer my questions. I can’t wait to read more about Cuddle Farm.
Thank you for having me. I hope you enjoyed my story and getting to know my animals, family, and friends.
About Merry Merry Merry Murder
Merry Merry Merry Murder (Cuddle Farm Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Oregon
Publisher: Windtree Press
Publication Date: October 10, 2025
Print length : 194 pages
ISBN-13 : 978-1940064093
In the close-knit town of Auburn, Oregon, Andi Clark’s therapy animals bring comfort to the community, especially during the holiday season. As the annual Christmas Craft Bazaar draws near, Andi agrees to set up a Petting Zoo with her beloved animals, bringing smiles to the faces of children and adults alike.
But when a young girl seeks solace from Athena, Andi’s therapy dog, after witnessing an unsettling scene behind the sleigh, it marks the beginning of a much darker holiday. As the town gathers for the Tree Lighting Ceremony, a scream shatters the festive atmosphere. Cocoa, Andi’s loyal Border Collie, pulls her toward a chilling sight: a woman standing over the lifeless body of the girl’s mother, strangled with Christmas lights.
Determined to help the grieving girl and her town recover from the shock, Andi, her therapy animals, and her niece, a county deputy, take it upon themselves to investigate. As they uncover secrets and untangle clues, they stay one step ahead of the new sheriff and worry that the killer lurking in their midst could be someone they know.
Cuddle Up With this Clever Christmas Cozy!
Patty Jagger’s “Merry Merry Merry Murder” provides a great start to a fantastic new cozy mystery series. The premise for Cuddle Farm Mysteries is unique. Andi Clark’s therapy animals bring comfort to the community. In many pet cozy’s the animals seek out clues to bring to their person. The animals in this cozy don’t talk but they do seem to listen. Andi overhears someone telling secrets to one of her therapy dogs, and when a body is found a few hours later, Andi inserts herself into the investigation. She takes her dogs almost everywhere she goes, and witnesses seem to relax in their presence and talk more than they might otherwise. I love this new twist on the pet cozy genre.
The book takes place in the typical small town filled with interesting characters who all seem to have secrets. Even the protagonist has a secret of her own. She may be the typical cozy mystery series protagonist who has come back home to start over. But her backstory is a little more interesting than usual. She is not quite the armature sleuth that everyone believes.
Other characters abound including her family, old friends, the new sheriff,. The victim is a despicable person, so there is no shortage of people who would have reason to kill her. The author does a masterful job laying out the clues and the red herrings. For once, I did not have the mystery solved before the sleuth! The author also included subplots for some ongoing storylines. Although Andi is a widow, and not yet ready for romance, her friendship with the sheriff is bound to evolve. Andi’s sister seems to hate her, and she has no idea why. I am also looking forward to hear more about some of Andi’s friends. There are enough characters introduced that promise plenty of great mysteries in the future. I can’t wait to read the next installment.
About Paty Jager
Paty Jager is an award-winning author of murder mysteries, western romance, and action-adventure. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Riding horses and battling rattlesnakes in eastern Oregon, she not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it.
Learn More about Paty Jager
Author Links:
Author LinksWebsite:https://www.patyjager.net
Blog:https://writingintothesunset.net/
Newsletter- Mystery: https://bit.ly/2IhmWcm
– Purchase Links –
– Amazon – B&N
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
October 10 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – AUTHOR GUEST POST
October 10 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
October 11 – Jemima Pett, Author – REVIEW
October 11 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
October 12 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
October 12 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
October 13 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST
October 13 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
October 14 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
October 14 – @bibliophile_foodie – REVIEW
October 15 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 15 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
October 16 – Angel’s Book Nook – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 17 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
October 17 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – CHARACTER GUEST POST
October 18 – Storybook Lady – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
October 18 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
October 19 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW
October 19 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 20 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 21 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
October 21 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST
October 22 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
October 23 – Bigreadersite – REVIEW
October 23 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
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Read my review of Merry Merry Merry Murder and a variety of other books at Goodreads.
GIVEAWAY!
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Thank you for being part of the Merry Merry Merry Murder blog tour. And thank you for the review!
My Pleasure. I loved the book and can’t wait to read the next one.