Sneak Thief — C.A. Newsome

Lia takes in an orphaned beagle--and inherits the dead owner's stalker.

Starving artist Lia Anderson makes a new friend at her seasonal job scoring academic proficiency tests. Desiree is a sassy, pocket-sized sexpot and owner of a larcenous beagle named Julia. Desiree also has a secret admirer who leaves her tiny figurines sculpted from twisted aluminum foil. The friendship falls afoul when the pair discovers a connection in their past, a secret Lia's detective boyfriend, Peter Dourson, kept from her.

When Desiree is murdered, Lia not only winds up with the woman's kleptomaniac beagle, she also inherits her stalker. On the outs with Peter and with the police on the wrong track, Lia will have to rely on her wits and her friends if she wants to stay alive.

If you enjoy a mystery  that is both lighthearted and unpredictable, curl up with your furred-ones and Sneak Thief for a fun read.

79,000 words