Lights, Camera, Murder by Lisa Shay

Cryptic warnings, mysterious powers, and a film shoot headed for catastrophe are just the beginning of Lights, Camera, Murder by Lisa Shay, the latest in her Kallie Collins Cozy Mystery series.

When Dr. Kallie Collins, a specialized psychic who can communicate with animals, befriends a young star filming a movie at a mountain lodge, she doesn’t expect to be pulled into yet another investigation. However, pastoral mysteries with equine informants and canine confidants seem unavoidable for the good doctor, and this latest case is both glamorous and deadly, requiring all of her veterinary, psychic, and sleuthing skills so she doesn’t become a victim herself.

Kallie’s unusual relationship with law enforcement, due to her persistent crime-solving efforts, is familiar for these types of amateur sleuth stories, but here supplies strong secondary characters, foils, and even a blush-inducing love interest. The conceit of the series – that Kallie can send and receive image-based messages with animals – is certainly helpful when it comes to unraveling the case of the seemingly cursed movie shoot, but Shay doesn’t lean on this ability too often, or allow it to cut too many corners of the investigation. Nor are these moments too cute as to seem childlike, which is a distinct possibility with the premise – this is a murder mystery at its core.

On a technical note, the dialogue does have a tendency to be leading, and the narration too often tells more than shows, but these easements do make the story move along at an effortless pace. With enough red herrings and clever twists to keep any reader turning the pages, Shay delivers an unpredictable, heartwarming, and wholly original cozy mystery.