A city transplant in a dog-obsessed small town becomes the prime suspect when the local dog walker is murdered in this delightfully quirky cozy mystery. A LITERARY HUB MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF THE YEAR Margot Cartwright is not exactly blending in with the residents of Glenville, South Carolina. An unwilling transplant from Washington, D.C., Margot feels like a fish out of water among the Lululemon-wearing, tiny-dog-owning, non- New Yorker -reading locals who are clamoring to have their fur babies star on Pawsh , a reality TV show about couture canines. (Sure, Margot loves her dog, but Sid Vicious is far too cool of a mutt for a show like that!) She even feels like an outcast amongst her family, and after she’s caught channeling her inner “Robin Hood” by stealing her neighbors’ pro- Pawsh signs, further cementing her title as the neighborhood pariah, she thinks things can’t possibly get any worse, right? Wrong. When the local dog walker is killed in a bizarre incident involving an over-the-top Halloween display featuring multiple Home Depot skeletons, all eyes turn to Margot. To clear her name and save her family from falling apart, Margot vows to find the real killer before they strike again—but she can’t do it alone. Enter Anne, a glamorous septuagenarian widow determined to maintain her reign over the HOA, and Sally-Claire, a "Mom Life" sweatshirt-clad member of the “Mommy Mafia” who might not be as perfect as she seems. Together, the unlikely trio (along with their canine companions) dives into the mystery, navigating the quirky and secretive world of Glenville’s residents. Can they solve the case before it’s too late, or will Margot’s reputation be permanently dog-eared? “Heartwarming and thoroughly Southern, Murder Bites is the most fun I’ve had reading all year. It’s hilarious, smart, and proof that there are no bad dogs¾just bad owners. This book, wild in the best way and so relatable, is about a fish out of water doing her best to make friends and family in the weird times we live in. I cannot wait to bring this one to my book club.” —Kate Myers, bestselling author of Salty and Excavations “Sharp-eyed satire with a big, gooey heart, Murder Bites is the wittiest book I’ve read in ages. Come for the designer dogs and Mommy Mafiosos. Stay for the unlikely team of amateur sleuths who will feel like your own friends by the time you turn the last page. Mimi Montgomery has given readers a total treat.” —Laura Hankin, author of One-Star Romance “Mimi Montgomery’s Murder Bites is deliciously funny, warm-hearted, and delightfully unhinged. It’s a wacky and wonderful novel, and I loved it.” —Annie Hartnett, USA Today bestselling author of The Road to Tender Hearts “ I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard. This is a hilarious, warm hug of a novel—a cozy mystery that delivers razor-sharp wit alongside layered, totally singular characters. . . . The most original, refreshing novel I've read all year.” —Olivia Muenter, author of Little One and Such a Bad Influence “A delightful mashup of Desperate Housewives and Best in Show , Murder Bites is laugh-out-loud funny and surprisingly heartwarming. . . . A very fun ride, from a totally original new voice.” —Marisa Kashino, author of Best Offer Wins Mimi Montgomery is a reporter at Axios . She's written for The Washington Post , Washingtonian , Garden & Gun, and Outside Magazine , and her reporting has been featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live , Inside Edition , and CNN, among others. Mimi attended the University of Virginia and has a master's from Georgetown University. Originally from North Carolina, she lives in D.C. with her husband, son, and several furry dependents. This is her first novel.