Dixie Lyle’s Whiskey, Tango & Foxtrot series has always toed the lines between paranormal, cozy mystery and romance. However, one constant is our intrepid heroine, Deirdre “Foxtrot” Lancaster, who, along with her otherworldly canine and feline companions, investigates murders that seem to happen all too frequently at dinner parties hosted by her zany boss, Zelda “ZZ” Zoransky. PURRFECTLY DEAD, the long-awaited fifth entry in the series, delivers on the fun chemistry between Foxtrot and her supernatural cohort.

"While new readers to the series might be a bit daunted by the extensive worldbuilding, don’t miss out on Foxtrot, who is a steady but engaging heroine."

Lyle is always at their best when they aren’t working overtime to create cheeky banter while having Foxtrot point out just how cheeky the banter is. It’s fine to have cats and dogs snark at one another now and then, but when existential debates of one species versus another take up too many pages, the reader may grow weary of the characters’ pointed cleverness. Moreover, the complex supernatural world that Foxtrot and her friends inhabit threatens to overwhelm the mystery.

When an escape artist dies at one of ZZ’s dinner parties, Foxtrot is on the case to discover whodunnit. Oh, and she’s also trying to prevent a catastrophic supernatural event at the same time. Where Foxtrot really shines is in her practicality --- she’s a consummate professional when it comes to juggling responsibilities, even in the face of crises. Sure, she has some special role in the magical world surrounding her, but her chief abilities as a sleuth are her work ethic and dogged (no pun intended) persistence.

While new readers to the series might be a bit daunted by the extensive worldbuilding, don’t miss out on Foxtrot, who is a steady but engaging heroine.