Two of a Kind: The Beginning is the 4th Jax Diamond historical PI novella by Gail Meath. Released 11th Nov 2022, it's 100 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The other books in the series are also currently available on KU as part of the subscription.

This is an engaging and well written "origin story"/prequel for the rest of the series and introduces genius shepherd Ace as an adorable (but no less intelligent) stray puppy. It's holiday themed, and full of nostalgia and good humor. MC Jax is facing a lot of upheaval in his life and keeps encountering little Ace all alone on the mean streets of NYC. They team up and solve their first crimes together.

Although it's the 4th in the series in order of release, it's the first in terms of series chronology and as such, works great as an intro. It's a fast read, and worth picking up, especially as a KU selection. With 7 books extant, it would be a good choice for a long binge/buddy read.

The author is adept at adding small real historical details which add a lot of depth to the story. She includes some historical notes at the end of the book with links and info for further reading.

Four stars. Well written and charming.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I cannot resist a book with a dog or a cat on the cover and this puppy is lovely. I also discovered a good new to me cozy mystery series that I enjoyed
Well plotted, likeable characters, solid mystery.
Can't wait to read other books in this series
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Jax is a great cop with good instincts. When thwarting a robbery doesn't go the way he planned, Jax needs to find a new path with the help of a lovable little German Shepherd pup named Ace. This mystery is a unique one which was one of the things I liked best about the story itself. 

I really like that the author seemed to do her research on the time period and tried to make it as consistent as possible in the details. 

I love dogs and have always had shepherds so that is what drew me to this one initially. It is a quick and captivating read set in the 1920's and I loved the action and the camaraderie between Jax and Tim. I'm so glad that I found it because it is a really good read. 

You can't help but fall in love with Ace and all of the characters are very likable. I love the time period the author chose as well. I am really looking forward to reading the other books in the series as this was very well written and a captivating mystery. 

If you are a big dog lover like I am, you will love this book and the way Ace is such a big part of the story and how smart and confident he is. He has a big personality for such a little dog and he clearly will make an amazing adult shepherd partner when he grows up! 

This book is part of a series and is actually a prequel to the rest of the series even though it is the 4th installment. I actually like that I read this one first so that I can go back and read the rest in linear fashion. This book can also stand alone.

Two of a Kind by Gail Meath is a good Christmas themed read about Jax Diamond and Ace, the puppy who adopts him. Set in the 1930s, Jax quits his job with the police department but continues to solve the case the department is working on.

Two of a Kind: The Beginning is the fourth Jax Diamond historical cozy mystery. However, if you haven’t read others in the series, this is a perfect book to start with! It’s a short book and I found it perfect reading for a rainy day. I won’t talk about the plot because you can find that in the book description. What I will say is that it is written in simple, straightforward prose which I found to be a breath of fresh air for this genre. Many times, the authors of cozy mysteries, to increase their word count, endlessly describe a rather mundane object or event. This is not the case in this book. It’s perfectly paced, flowed wonderfully, and is well plotted. The historical details provided at the end of the book are an extra bonus that will delight readers. This was my first in the series, but it won’t be my last.

Yep, dogs are the best - and one little pup wins over one smart cop, and everyone else but that butcher, and saves the day more than once. A definite fun and quick read.

Though listed as #4 in the series, this novella is a prequel. Lucky for me because you know how I love to read series in order! Jax is a beat cop in 1920s New York when he finds himself a little precocious side kick with four paws. A short story, this is a meet-cute between Jax and Ace before their partnership in the series. Sure there is a crime and sure our duo solves the mystery, but the antics of the two of them getting to know each other overshadows all that. I look forward to diving into the rest of the series!

I enjoyed this story, and the main characters were excellent. Although Jax was a good officer, he was a hothead with little patience with the bureaucracy that mocked things up. Jax's patience had reached its limit when an innocent life was lost, which could have been avoided, it motivated his next move, and it was also when he met his new partner without knowing. This story takes you on a ride with Jax and Ace, an unexpected bonding of two males determined to protect and serve.