Imagine a mountain town where restaurants serve meals for people and pets, and every inn welcomes four-legged guests. That is Wagtail, Virginia, the setting of the Paws and Claws Mysteries by New York Times bestselling author Krista Davis. The series has ten books so far, from Murder, She Barked (2013) to The Wagtail Murder Club (2025).
Below you will find what the series is about, the complete book list in order, the newest book and where to start.
What Is the Paws and Claws Mystery Series About?
Holly Miller comes to Wagtail after losing her job, when a troubling phone call about her grandmother sends her home. On the way she rescues a scruffy Jack Russell terrier, Trixie. She stays, and soon she is running the family inn, the Sugar Maple Inn, with her grandmother, Oma.
The inn is a hot spot for pet owners, and Holly keeps finding a dead body where there should only be a holiday. Holly and Trixie make a good team, and Twinkletoes, a calico cat who lives at the inn, adds her own nose for trouble. Each Paws and Claws Mystery book is a stand-alone murder mystery with a new case, a new event in town and the same warm cast. Readers who love this series often mention Oma first: proud, practical and quick to put her granddaughter to work.
Where Is the Series Set? The Town of Wagtail, Virginia
Wagtail is a fictional town on Wagtail Mountain in Virginia. It is built around pets: restaurants serve dogs and cats as well as their owners, and events run all year, from Halloween to Christmas. The pet-friendly town of Wagtail is almost a character of its own, and many readers say they would book a stay there if they could.
The Sugar Maple Inn sits at the heart of it, and the grand Wagtail Springs Hotel, with its old bathhouse, is just across town. Oma runs it with a firm hand, and the staff, including a very proper butler, become Holly’s second family.
Who Is Krista Davis, the Author of the Paws and Claws Mysteries?
Krista Davis is a bestselling author, and several of her books have been nominated for the Agatha Award. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with a brood of cats and dogs, which shows on every page of Wagtail.
Her first series is the Domestic Diva Mysteries, set in Old Town Alexandria. She also writes the Pen & Ink Mysteries. Read more on our Krista Davis author page.
Paws and Claws Mysteries in Order: All Books in This Mystery Series
Here is the reading order, with the first US publication year and a one-line summary of each book.
- Murder, She Barked (2013): Holly comes home to Wagtail, and an employee at the inn dies in a hit-and-run that looks anything but accidental.
- The Ghost and Mrs. Mewer (2014): at Halloween, Trixie and Twinkletoes find a young woman drowned in the bathhouse of the Wagtail Springs Hotel.
- Murder Most Howl (2015): a murder mystery weekend at the inn turns real when a winter storm blows in.
- Mission Impawsible (2017): a matchmaking event for pet owners at the Sugar Maple Inn ends in murder.
- Not a Creature Was Purring (2017): at Christmas, a businessman is found dead.
- The Dog Who Knew Too Much (2019): America’s favorite dog comes to Wagtail for a rest, and murder follows.
- Big Little Spies (2021): a pet detective dies while looking for a missing dog, just before a charity adoption ball.
- A Good Dog’s Guide to Murder (2022): at Thanksgiving, during a gingerbread dog and cat house contest, a body turns up inside a fallen tree.
- The Dog Across the Lake (2024): Holly and Trixie meet a strange new dog who leads them straight to a murder.
- The Wagtail Murder Club (2025): Holly rescues a black Labrador left in a cage, and a suspicious death follows.
How Many Books Are in the Paws and Claws Mystery Series? 10 Books So Far
There are ten books in the series so far. The first came out in 2013 and the latest in February 2025. Krista Davis alternates between her series, so a new book usually arrives every one to two years.
The Newest Paws and Claws Mystery and 2026 Releases
The newest book is The Wagtail Murder Club, published in hardcover on February 4, 2025. Holly finds an abandoned black Labrador. Then a colleague of her ex-boyfriend dies, and she teams up with her mother, Oma and the inn’s butler to find out why.
No eleventh book has been announced as of September 2026. Krista Davis‘s 2026 release belongs to her other series: The Diva Hosts a Murderer came out in May 2026. The next book in that series is announced for 2027.
Where to Start: Murder, She Barked
Start with book 1. The cases stand on their own. Holly’s move to Wagtail, her work at the inn and her friendships grow from book to book. Murder, She Barked introduces Oma, Trixie and Twinkletoes, and it explains how Holly ends up staying. Our Murder, She Barked review covers it in detail.
Is This the Best Cozy Series With Dogs? Similar Series to Try
For many readers, it is. Few cozy series build a whole town around pets, and Trixie is one of the best-loved dogs in the genre. If you want more mysteries with dogs, try these:
- Chet and Bernie Mysteries by Spencer Quinn, told by Chet, the dog. The series starts with Dog On It.
- Andy Carpenter Mysteries by David Rosenfelt, about a lawyer who loves dogs.
- Cozy Corgi Mysteries by Mildred Abbott, with a corgi named Watson.
- Pet Rescue Mysteries by Linda O. Johnston (see our Oodles of Poodles review).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to read the series in order?
No, each mystery is solved within its book. Reading in order is more fun, because the relationships at the inn develop over time.
Is Wagtail a real town?
No. Wagtail is fictional, set in the mountains of Virginia.
Are there pet recipes in the books?
Yes. Murder, She Barked comes with recipes for people and for their pets.