Read A Review:

Lavender "Snake" Jones is a zookeeper at the Minnesota Valley Zoo. Her husband, Jeff Jones, is a herpetologist from Australia and works with the crocodiles at the zoo. Plus he is the star of the show Zoofari.

When the director of the zoo, Anthony Wright, is discovered dead in the crocodile pit in the new Australia Walkabout Trail during the Beastly Ball at the zoo, zoo employee J. R. ends up the prime suspect. Snake sets out to prove their friend and colleague didn't murder Anthony.

But is she helping? She keeps uncovering lies that only serve to strengthen the case against him. This begins to throw suspicion on the people she trusts. Can she uncover the killer without putting herself in danger?

I loved the zoo setting for this mystery. Snake and Jeff are fabulous characters. The zoo really lent itself to the cozy genre with the "small town" feel of the employees and supporters.

There were plenty of secrets and corruption to keep me guessing at the killer's identity. And there were plenty of twists and turns in the plot to keep me reading.

I found myself not wanting to put this book down. I can't wait to read another one in this series. I hope the writers write a little faster!

Dawn Dowdle