Good cozy mystery and a good first book of a series. The main character was a compassionate, quirky, introverted and highly methodical veterinarian by day and an amateur sleuth by night. It's no surprise that darkness exists in small towns as in cities, it's everywhere though it surprised the main character. The loss of 54 pigs was only the tip of the iceberg. ;) A slow mystery that reached a crescendo ending the last 20+ pages. I look forward to reading the next book of the series.

I want to extend my sincere thanks to NetGalley and ECW Press for this ARC in return for an honest review. Fifty-four Pigs was written by Dr. Philipp Schott and is the first in the Dr. Peter Bannerman Vet Mysteries. Dr. Schott has many years of experience as a veterinarian and is now chief of staff at a large animal hospital in Winnipeg. He has written a couple of books featuring essays and anecdotes about his experiences in his clinical practice. I was pleased to learn there will be a second book featuring Dr. Bannerman and his mysteries.

The setting is a small town on the shoreline of Lake Winnipeg with its extremely chilling winter temperatures. The book got off to a slow start, establishing the area's history where Dr. Bannerman lives and practices. The earliest settlers were Icelanders, followed by Finns. Then came an assorted mix of other nationalities.

Dr. Bannerman is a proficient, capable, and caring vet, well respected and liked by pet owners. He is a veterinarian not only to pets but also to farm animals. To many in the small Manitoba town, he is considered odd. It is apparent that he has obsessive-compulsive issues and some aspects of autism. He has difficulty socializing and reading people. He does feel emotions but submerges them with rational, logical thinking. He is obsessed with order, numbers, puzzles and lists. Because he has an eye for detail that others miss, he is inclined to use his spare time acting as an unofficial detective. He uses his reasoning skills to solve mysterious puzzles connected with crimes. His interference results in annoyance and anger from his brother-in-law, Kevin, an RCMP officer. Dr. Bannerman's wife usually agrees with her brother, fearing that her husband's obsessions and intrusions into crime-solving will end in danger. Dr. Peter Bannerman's wife has a thriving knitting business at home, with logos on her products catering to fans of Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, etc.

I found the beginning of the story quite disturbing. An explosive device has been detonated at Tom's farm. All 54 pigs were killed in the resulting fire. Peter considers Tom a friend but has barely socialized with him lately. He feels fondly towards Tom for protecting him from bullies when they were schoolmates.

RCMP officer, Kevin, plans to arrest Tom for starting the fire. This is crucial because a dead person's body is found amongst the remains of the pigs. There are mysterious break-ins where meat is stolen from freezers but little else of value. Dr. Peter Bannerman is determined to use his reasoning skills and his intelligent and lovable sniffer-dog, Pippin, to prove Tom's innocence. Tom has vanished from the community. Peter's home and vet clinic have been broken into and those of others. Peter has seen a mysterious figure lurking at his yard's darkened and wooded edge. There has been another murder. Is Tom hiding from the law or from the killer, or has he been murdered? What is the killer/or killers looking for, and why is meat being stolen? What is the meaning of a coded note written in Korean?

Both Dr. Bannerman's wife and her Mountie brother have been correct in warning him of danger, but he is determined to find Tom or his body. This takes Dr. Bannerman and Pippin out on the ice in search of answers. He is in extreme danger, followed, chased, shot at, knocked out, and tied up in a freezing ice fishing shack. He now knows the answers for the criminal activity, but will he live long enough to reveal them? He realizes that the many theories that he and Kevin bantered about in the beginning were wrong and how little he understands other people.

This book has been considered a cozy mystery, but it has complex, international implications. It vividly describes the sub-zero temperatures of the area, the blizzards, and the ways the people cope with the brutal winters. I am looking forward to reading the second book in the series, 'Six Ostriches.'

I really enjoyed this "cozy" small town mystery. Peter Bannerman is the veterinarian in a tiny town in Manitoba. Married to the sister of a policeman and slightly OCD in nature, with an amazing dog companion, Pete has had some minor success as an on-the-side detective. So when his friend's swine barn explodes, killing all 54 hogs inside, Pete decides to conduct his own investigation. I loved the little town, the people, certain turns of phrase made me laugh out loud. Just a nice easy mystery!

Hooked on this one at the end of chapter 2. Although I've been hooked on Philipp Schott books since reading Willow Wren (somewhat based on true story from WWII, a view you don't really consider). Then after reading Willow Wren I read Philipp Schott's previously released The Accidental Veterinarian and subsequent How to Examine a Wolverine.

In my opinion this book is closer to All Things Bright and Beautiful veterinarian turned quasi-detective with trusty dog Pippin (than a correlation to No. 1 Detective Agency, although I never really got into that series). Philipp Schott weaves in many of his veterinarian animal clinic clients into 54 Pigs; because the author has been a veterinarian for decades I love how this adds to the life of the main character Peter Bannerman. After reading the author's other books, I see the author as the main character and keep thinking of the main character as Peter/Philipp.

The main character's wife is constantly knitting interesting things and her brother is the police investigator, so there are some interesting dynamics. I like the dry sense of humor that prevails as well from Peter/Philipp, reminds me in a way of Robert B. Parker.

Additionally, I love the authors description of setting in small-town Manitoba Canada.

Thank you NetGalley and Philipp Schott the author and ECW Press the publisher for the opportunity to review the advance read copy in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is 19 Apr 2022.

A charming, curious, and intriguing mystery. With a well written plot and characters, which made this an enjoyable read. The story would blend in well as a movie, it is so cleverly written that you feel as if you are in the story. Even though this is part of a series, it reads well as a stand-alone. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a great new read.

Thank you to the publisher, Philipp Schott, and Netgalley for the chance to read and review this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Really enjoyed reading r this mystery .Enjoyed getting to know the vet his wife Laura and her brother.There we’re enough twists and turns to keep me turning the pages trying to figure it out #netgalley#fiftyfourpigs

Pigs And Problems…
When a swine barn bizarrely explodes in a lakeside town a catalogue of strange events begins. Vet, Dr Peter Bannerman, along with sniffer dog Pippin are swiftly drawn into mystery, murder and mayhem. A wonderfully penned mystery with a sharp edge and laced with much wry humour. A terrific read.

Absolutely enjoyed reading about Peter the local vet, with his wife Laura and her brother Kevin the local RCMP as they investigate a local murder in their small town in Manitoba, Canada. Storyline keeps you guessing along with a handful of interesting characters.

Normally I love novels like this but for some reason I couldn’t get into it. I picked it up and put it down so many times that it left me frustrated.

The synopsis was well written and had me excited for get cracking but it was a slog to the plot twist and then once that happened I was left a little deflated. Was that really it? Just that.

A fun light read. I like a lot of stories that include animals, and this one kept me engaged and includes some interesting plot points and situations. There are a lot of mysteries to choose from, and this is a good one.

I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!

This was a truly thrilling and gripping mystery book that had several twists and turns that I never saw coming that kept me engaged throughout. A very clever plot and outcome

Dr. Peter Bannerman is a rational and methodical, mathematically-minded vet in a small Canadian town who often helps his police-officer brother-in-law to solve crimes. The death of fifty-four pigs in an explosion in a farmer’s barn takes on a sinister turn when a human jawbone is found amongst the porcine carnage, and Peter can’t resist investigating in Philipp Schott’s joyously enjoyable mystery novel, “Fifty-Four Pigs”.
The book is a cozy-ish (there is some strong language) mystery and is really quite excellent. The story is very easy to read with an engaging and quirky lead character; often funny and deliciously offbeat, it is a joy to follow Peter as he doggedly uncovers the truth with the help of his remarkable sniffer dog, Pippin. The town’s various inhabitants are vividly brought to life and we learn much about its colourful history, a favourite subject of Peter’s. The story has plenty of twists and turns and will keep you gripped until the nail biting finale.
What a breath of fresh air this book is! Funny, charming and original, “Fifty-Four Pigs” is irresistible and truly unputdownable. A preview of the next title in the series, “Six Ostriches”, is included at the back of the book, which, on the basis of Philipp Schott‘s superb opener, I am eagerly looking forward to.

4 stars

What a delightful book!

Veterinarian Dr. Peter Bannerman and his wife Laura live in New Selfoss, Manitoba. Laura’s brother, RCMP Officer Kevin, also lives there.

One winter morning on his way to complete his farm calls, he sees and hears an explosion. It looks to be at Tom’s hog farm. When he arrives, it certainly is and he is far too late to save any of the fifty-four pigs trapped in the barn. After the fire is out, the police discover a body in the barn. Tom is, of course, the primary suspect when he shows up at the farm in his pickup.

Kevin warns Peter not to interfere in the investigation. But, Peter has become very interested in solving things lately and has become known in the community for solving all kinds of goings on. Of course he gets in pretty deep. He and Kevin throw around all kinds of theories. Peter simply can’t believe Tom is in any way involved.

Things get pretty sticky and Peter’s house is burgled. His television, some jewelry and meat out of the freezer are stolen. Later the jewelry and TV are found. A few days later, the veterinary office is burgled, but only the freezer is vandalized.

Things escalate quickly. A conspiracy is uncovered. Who is involved? Tom has disappeared and it is feared that he is dead. A neighbor gets killed also.

Peter and his wonderful scent dog, Pippin, are in danger.

This is a great story. It is both well written and plotted. It is easy to read and easy on the mind. The pages just fly by. Having been a vet tech long ago in my past, I particularly like these stories, and have always enjoyed Dr. James Herriot’s books. I like the animal interactions. I am very pleased to see another veterinarian writing about his experiences and immediately went to Amazon to look at his other books. Dr. Philipp Schott is now one of my must read authors!

I want to thank NetGalley and ECW Press for forwarding to me a copy of this great little book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.