Review: Best in Murder by Lauren Carr | A Mac Faraday Mystery

"One Collar. Two Dead. Total Chaos."

Championship dogs, high-stakes competition, and a priceless missing collar are only the beginning in Best in Murder, the fifteenth Mac Faraday Mystery by Lauren Carr. When two women connected to the Mid-Atlantic Classic Kennel Club Invitational are murdered, Mac Faraday and his troublemaking German shepherd, Gnarly, are drawn into a glittering world where polished appearances hide dangerous secrets.

Set against the elegant chaos of a major dog show at the Spencer Inn, this mystery promises plenty of twists, canine mischief, and larger-than-life personalities-both human and four-legged.

Book Details

Best in Murder
By Lauren Carr
Series: A Standalone Mac Faraday Mystery Book 15
Published by Acorn Book Services on 10/13/2026
Genres: Mystery
Formats: Audiobook, eBook, Paperback

"Lauren Carr's books are never boring, that's for sure. They entertain, give us a good mystery to dig into, keep the reader guessing, give us a few good laughs and make us eager for the next book. Lauren Carr's series are addictive, so be ready to read more than just one book!" - Laura Fabiani, Library of Clean Reads

When a priceless platinum-and-diamond collar vanishes at the Mid-Atlantic Classic Kennel Club Invitational—Best in Show at the Spencer Inn, it looks like the ultimate high-society theft. But when two women connected to the glittering event are murdered in quick succession, the case explodes into something far more deadly.

Mac Faraday and his troublemaking German Shepherd, Gnarly, dive headfirst into the glamorous, cutthroat world of championship dog shows. Amidst perfectly groomed champions worth small fortunes, ruthless competitors, and million-dollar egos, the trail leads to a missing Irish Wolfhound whose value goes well beyond his blue-blood pedigree.

As tensions rise between Spencer PD and the county sheriff’s office, Mac’s team races to untangle a web of greed, betrayal, and long-buried secrets—all while the elegant resort descends into delightful canine chaos. With show dogs of every shape and size turning the Spencer Inn into their personal playground, Gnarly does what he does — stir up trouble and sniff out the truth.

Fast-paced, laugh-out-loud funny, and packed with four-legged mischief,
Best in Murder
proves that in the high-stakes world of Best in Show, the biggest prizes come with the deadliest risks.
Pre-order now and receive the exclusive bonus novelette Who Framed Michelangelo? instantly!

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

I purchased an audiobook edition of this book. All opinions are my own.

Reader Resources

View on Goodreads

View on StoryGraph

View on BookBub

Book Trailer

Watch the trailer for Best in Murder.

Reader Info at a Glance

Best For	Cozy-mystery readers who enjoy clever cases, a lively ensemble, and dogs with big personalities
Pacing	Fast-paced and multi-threaded, with plenty of twists
Series Reading	A satisfying standalone that rewards returning Mac Faraday readers with familiar characters and connections
Audiobook	Mike Alger gives the humor and large cast distinct, engaging voices
Overall Feel	Clever, funny, canine-filled, and deeply satisfying
Rating	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | CAWPILE: 9.35

Here's what worked for me, and where the story really shines.

My Thoughts

Oh, how lovely it was to spend time with Mayor Gnarly again. Lauren Carr has created such a vibrant, interconnected world around the Mac Faraday series, and returning to the Spencer Inn feels like rejoining old friends-provided those friends include an extremely opinionated German shepherd, a whole parade of memorable dogs, and a murder or two.

The championship dog-show setting is an absolute delight. There are dogs everywhere, from King Charles-Dumbledore to Storm and Ruby, and each seems to arrive with a personality all its own. Carr writes both her human and canine characters with remarkable depth; they feel so real that even the most irritating people get under your skin. I wanted to slap pretentious Salma Denton, and I am not a violent person. That, to me, is a testament to how vividly Carr brings her cast to life.

I also love the small domestic moments woven between the investigation and the larger-than-life chaos. A little disagreement between Mac and Archie over a replaced toilet seat becomes "The Great Toilet Seat War of Spencer Manor," and it is those touches that make this series feel lived-in rather than merely plotted. The mystery itself keeps several threads moving at once, with humor, danger, canine mischief, and welcome appearances from elsewhere in Carr's mystery world.

For audiobook listeners, Mike Alger is excellent. He captures the tone and humor beautifully, gives the many characters distinct voices, and makes an already lively ensemble even more engaging. His performance was a wonderful match for the story.

Final Thoughts

Best in Murder is a wonderful choice for readers who enjoy cozy mysteries with clever plotting, a warm and lively recurring cast, and dogs who are every bit as essential as their human counterparts. Although the Mac Faraday series is tightly interconnected, this installment works beautifully as a standalone; longtime readers will enjoy the returning characters and connections, while newcomers can simply settle in and enjoy the ride.

There are so many threads woven through this story, which makes it exceptionally satisfying to watch everything come together in a spectacular finish. Carr balances humor, heart, and genuine suspense with ease, delivering a mystery that is both great fun and deeply rewarding. I loved every word of this five-star read.

---

Guest Post: Book 15 Is Not Homework

By Lauren Carr

I have a confession that will not shock anyone who writes a long series. Book fifteen is a trap.

The regulars want continuity. They have been with Mac Faraday since the divorce lawyer showed up with an inheritance and a German shepherd who did not come with instructions. They know the Inn. They know David. They know which sofa belongs to Gnarly, even when Gnarly disagrees. If I pretend none of that happened, they will notice, and they will be right.

The new reader wants none of that. They picked up Best in Murder because the cover has a dog show and a crime, not because they enjoy homework. If the first chapter feels like a reunion special, they will put the book down and go find a mystery that starts when they do.

So I write the opening as if the reader just walked into the Spencer Inn and has never met any of us. Names get said out loud. Relationships get one clean sentence, not a family tree. Why Mac is here. Why a police chief's half-brother keeps turning up at crime scenes. Why the dog is not comic relief pasted onto the cover. The regulars already know. They can smile and keep walking. The new reader should be able to sit down on October 13 and not need a spreadsheet.

Continuity, for me, is texture, not a quiz. A line about an old case is a wink, not a lecture. If a character starts recapping fourteen books so the new kid can catch up, I cut the speech. People who have known each other for years do not narrate their biographies in the hallway. They say hello. They argue. They get on with the body.

Best in Murder has to earn its own plot. A stolen platinum-and-diamond collar. A missing Irish Wolfhound. Two women who do not live to see Best in Show. David O'Callaghan, newly acting sheriff of Garrett County, trying to keep a bigger map from swallowing the little town. Gnarly treating a championship dog show like a personal playground. That is the book. You do not need to have voted for him in the mayoral race to understand why he is a problem in a hotel full of professionally groomed egos. It helps. It is not required.

I learned this the hard way, which is how I learn most things. Early on, I worried that if a scene did not reward the loyal reader, I was being disloyal. Then I watched what actually happens. The loyal reader is not hunting for a pop quiz. They want the people to still sound like themselves. Mac still thinks like a homicide detective. Archie still translates the chaos. David still gets the desk chair that squeaks. Gnarly still believes furniture is a suggestion. If those habits are intact, the regulars feel at home. If the mystery plays fair without a decoder ring, the new reader stays.

There is a practical test I use. I read the first three chapters the way I would read a stranger's book on a plane. If I have to stop and ask who someone is, the sentence failed. If I have to stop and admire how cleverly I referenced book seven, the sentence failed harder. Clever is not the same as clear.

Series fatigue is real. So is the fear, on the author's side, of writing the same lake with a different corpse. David's promotion is part of how I keep the map from going stale without evicting Spencer. Bigger county. Same people. New readers do not have to know why that move made a few beta readers nervous. They only have to see a decent cop with a leaking department and a brother who will not stay out of the case.

If you have been here since It's Murder, My Son, thank you for staying long enough that the dog needed a bigger stage. If this is your first Mac Faraday mystery, you are not late. The show is starting. The collar is missing. The wolfhound is gone. Sit down. Gnarly will not.

Now, here's a little more about the author behind the book.

Meet the Author

With more than thirty mysteries to her name, Lauren Carr has built a devoted readership around clever crimes, richly drawn characters, and the kind of canine companions who are anything but background players. Explore her website and follow along on social media for more Mac Faraday mysteries and news of her other series.

Learn more:
Website | Amazon | Goodreads | Author Hub

---

Where to Buy

Ready to add Best in Murder to your reading list? Here are a few ways to get your copy.

Listen on Audible

View on Amazon

Happy reading-and thanks for supporting authors, reviewers, and independent bookstores.

---

Tour dates: September 29 to November 9, 2026. To see the full schedule of stops, visit the
iRead Book Tours page.