I'm pleased to welcome K. L. Borges to Cozy Up With Kathy today. K. L. writes the Montana Animal Rescue Mystery series. Murder on Flesher Pass is the second book in the series and was released last week.
Kathy: The Montana Animal Rescue Mystery series is operated solely for the benefit of Montana dogs. How did this practice come about?
KLB: Each rescue needs to set their own policy regarding what animals to take in. Some handle animals from around the country, while others choose to keep their resources dedicated to local ones. RogerDog Rescue, in the series, is small and always full to capacity with dogs from the Helena area. If out-of-state dogs were allowed into the rescue, they would take spots that otherwise would be for Montana dogs. Betty Mills, the rescue’s head honcho, has decreed that this is not to happen at RogerDog Rescue.
Kathy: Do you volunteer with an animal rescue or have any rescued animals?
KLB: I do volunteer, weekly, at a local animal rescue, working in with the dogs. I love taking care of them and seeing them adopted is wonderful.
Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?
KLB: I enjoy reading cozy mysteries and when I was developing the story that became Murder in the Crazy Mountains, my debut mystery, writing a cozy, rather than, say, a police procedural was much more in my wheelhouse.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
KLB: Not yet! I would like to, though, maybe a gritty traditional mystery or thriller.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
KLB: The Montana Animal Rescue Mysteries are set around the operation of RogerDog Rescue in Helena, Montana and the crew of sometimes zany people who run it, investigating murders that come their way. The stories alternate between humor and suspense, take place in modern-day Montana and are realistically plotted: events are fictional but could have happened.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
KLB: I have to say Betty Mills is my favorite character. She is incorrigible, gruff and growly and you could have no better friend. I’ve been blessed to know (and be related to) several people like her in life. She and her real-life counterparts are alter-egos to me, a retired high school math teacher.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
KLB: I began the series when I was recently retired as a high school math teacher and came across an online post about a dog brought into rescue with several gunshot wounds. I started spinning a story around him and it turned into the plot for Murder in the Crazy Mountains.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
KLB: I wrote my original manuscript about the gunshot dog and mystery surrounding him for personal enjoyment. Friends read the story and encouraged me to get the story published. I gave it a whirl and landed a three-book contract with Camel Press!
· Murder in the Crazy Mountains, 2025
· Murder on Flesher Pass, 2026
· Murder in Bad Moon Canyon, 2027
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
KLB: Laurien Berenson (Melanie Travis Mysteries), Robert Crais (Elvis Cole Mysteries), Elly Griffith (Ruth Galloway Mysteries) and Ed McBain aka Evan Hunter (87th Precinct Mysteries). Everyone in this group has exceptional humor woven into their stories which range from lighthearted to very dark indeed.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
KLB: A nonfiction book: The Golden Spruce. The actual events took place in southeast Alaska where I visited this summer. It adds a lot to the reading to have been in the locations.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
KLB: I like to rockhound, bird watch, camp and visit new, interesting places. It’s really wonderful when all of these things are happening at once!
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
KLB: Roasted green chili from New Mexico.
Good quality coffee (and creamer)
Makings for no-nonsense Margaritas
Fresh fruit
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
KLB: In the current series, a third book, Murder in Bad Moon Canyon, is planned for release in 2027. I vaguely think there will be more books in the series, but I haven’t started writing them, yet.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
KLB: Meeting people and sharing my books with them. It’s so much fun!
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Murder on Flesher Pass (Montana Animal Rescue Mystery Series) by K. L. Borges
About Murder on Flesher Pass
Murder on Flesher Pass (Montana Animal Rescue Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Setting - Montana
Publisher : Camel Press
Publication date : October 14, 2026
Language : English
Print length : 316 pages
RogerDog Rescue of Helena, Montana, is operated solely for the benefit of Montana dogs, no transported outsiders allowed.
When a fellow rescuer dies while completing a transport for an infamous Butte operation, Betty Mills, Kelly Boyd and Cici Vargas don't believe it was an accident. They infilter the Butte group, just in time to partake in a rescue flight from Mexico. Plans go awry and they unwittingly wind up with something that multiple suspicious characters want to get their hands on. Is it the foreign dogs themselves or something else? The body count begins to grow and the danger spreads to other RogerDog workers.
Can they solve the mystery before it is too late?
About K.L. Borges
K.L. Borges, an Agatha Award-nominated author, moved to Montana thirty-five years ago with her husband to raise their three children alongside a series of herding dogs. Prior to becoming an author, she taught math at a private Billings high school (Go, Rams!). Borges is a member of the Billings Gem and Mineral Club and Sisters in Crime. She and her husband are often found enjoying the Montana outdoors with their two blue heelers.
Author Links:
Author website: K.L. Borges - Home
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profilr.php?id=61557406862657
Buy links: Amazon B&N This House of Books
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