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A Dixie Hemingway Mystery #7
The Cat Sitter's Pajamas
Author Blaize Clement has thrilled readers everywhere with the first six books in her pet-sitting mystery series. Now Blaize's beloved heroine Dixie Hemingway is back for another adventure, and she has her hands full when the worlds of celebrity hijinks, counterfeit fashion, and naughty cats collide.
Dixie Hemingway, no relation to you-know-who, accepts a job taking care of famous linebacker Cupcake Trillin's cats, Elvis and Lucy, while he's away. But what seems like an easy job turns scary when Dixie finds a celebrity fashion model in Cupcake's house. The woman refuses to leave AND she also claims to be Cupcake's wife. But Dixie has met Cupcake's wife, and this woman certainly isn't her.
Soon, Dixie is spun into the world of counterfeit high fashion. When a valuable list of fake merchandise sellers goes missing, the criminals go after Dixie. Once again, what started as a simple cat-sitting job has turned into a mess that only Dixie can solve.
Dixie Hemingway, no relation to you-know-who, accepts a job taking care of famous linebacker Cupcake Trillin's cats, Elvis and Lucy, while he's away. But what seems like an easy job turns scary when Dixie finds a celebrity fashion model in Cupcake's house. The woman refuses to leave AND she also claims to be Cupcake's wife. But Dixie has met Cupcake's wife, and this woman certainly isn't her.
Soon, Dixie is spun into the world of counterfeit high fashion. When a valuable list of fake merchandise sellers goes missing, the criminals go after Dixie. Once again, what started as a simple cat-sitting job has turned into a mess that only Dixie can solve.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 3, 2012
25 people are currently reading
553 people want to read
About the author
Blaize Clement
35 books257 followersMy passion is people. I think people are absolutely magnificent. Not the power-hungry heads of governments or churches or corporations who justify all kinds of horror if it suits their goals, but the rest of us. In spite of the awful things some human beings do in order to control other human beings, most people are peacefully going about their own business, and I applaud that. Families are the backbone of any civilization, and parenting is the most important job in the world.
That same passion and respect for people makes me a strong supporter of the right of any two adults who wish to combine their lives and property to do so without anybody judging them or erecting laws to make their lives more difficult. It seems to me that people who go around condemning how or who somebody else loves would better mind their own business and spend that time showing love to their own spouses or lovers.
As a polio survivor, I’m zealous about ADA laws being implemented and intelligently observed. I try to keep a sense of humor about architectural barriers, but curb cuts and gentle ramps aren’t so difficult to install, and they make life a lot easier for many people. And does anybody know the purpose of those metal bars attached to the walls in handicap-accessible bathrooms? I used to think they might be there in case somebody in a wheelchair decided to rinse out her panty hose, but that can’t be it.
My favorite story of all time is Rudyard Kipling’s The Elephant’s Child. When my two sons were little, I would beg them to let me read that story to them, and sometimes they would indulge me. When my five grandchildren were small, I made a tape of myself reading it so they could listen to it when I wasn’t there. They indulged me too. I still get a little bubble of delight at the 'satiable Elephant's Child saying to all his dear families, “I am going to the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River, all set about with fever-trees, to find out what the Crocodile has for dinner.”
My favorite scene in all literature is from another Rudyard Kipling story, The Jungle Book, where the wolf pack has met to look over the new cubs so they would know their own from an enemy, and Father Wolf pushes Mowgli into the center.
Come to think of it, I suppose those beloved stories about the intelligence and nobility of animals, coupled with my passion for families and children has inevitably led to writing the Dixie Hemingway Mystery series. The relationship between people and pets is one of the highest examples of unconditional love, and Dixie Hemingway is a professional pet sitter who values her family and the pets she takes care of above all else.
Okay, we’re almost finished with this pseudo-bio.
I think the best writing being done today gets the least amount of respect. Good writing isn’t determined by the subject matter, but by how well the writer keeps the reader fascinated and anxious. With few exceptions, that means good mysteries, horror, and sci-fi. I’m proud to be a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and Sisters in Crime.
My favorite quote is from the 14th century Sufi poet, Hafiz: “Sweetheart, O Sweetheart, you are God in drag!”
Okay, that’s my bio. Now you know the “real me.” I hope we meet someday and that you’ll tell me about the real you.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/blaize...
That same passion and respect for people makes me a strong supporter of the right of any two adults who wish to combine their lives and property to do so without anybody judging them or erecting laws to make their lives more difficult. It seems to me that people who go around condemning how or who somebody else loves would better mind their own business and spend that time showing love to their own spouses or lovers.
As a polio survivor, I’m zealous about ADA laws being implemented and intelligently observed. I try to keep a sense of humor about architectural barriers, but curb cuts and gentle ramps aren’t so difficult to install, and they make life a lot easier for many people. And does anybody know the purpose of those metal bars attached to the walls in handicap-accessible bathrooms? I used to think they might be there in case somebody in a wheelchair decided to rinse out her panty hose, but that can’t be it.
My favorite story of all time is Rudyard Kipling’s The Elephant’s Child. When my two sons were little, I would beg them to let me read that story to them, and sometimes they would indulge me. When my five grandchildren were small, I made a tape of myself reading it so they could listen to it when I wasn’t there. They indulged me too. I still get a little bubble of delight at the 'satiable Elephant's Child saying to all his dear families, “I am going to the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River, all set about with fever-trees, to find out what the Crocodile has for dinner.”
My favorite scene in all literature is from another Rudyard Kipling story, The Jungle Book, where the wolf pack has met to look over the new cubs so they would know their own from an enemy, and Father Wolf pushes Mowgli into the center.
Come to think of it, I suppose those beloved stories about the intelligence and nobility of animals, coupled with my passion for families and children has inevitably led to writing the Dixie Hemingway Mystery series. The relationship between people and pets is one of the highest examples of unconditional love, and Dixie Hemingway is a professional pet sitter who values her family and the pets she takes care of above all else.
Okay, we’re almost finished with this pseudo-bio.
I think the best writing being done today gets the least amount of respect. Good writing isn’t determined by the subject matter, but by how well the writer keeps the reader fascinated and anxious. With few exceptions, that means good mysteries, horror, and sci-fi. I’m proud to be a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and Sisters in Crime.
My favorite quote is from the 14th century Sufi poet, Hafiz: “Sweetheart, O Sweetheart, you are God in drag!”
Okay, that’s my bio. Now you know the “real me.” I hope we meet someday and that you’ll tell me about the real you.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/blaize...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
January 14, 2012
I really loved this last installment of the series! Mostly for the personal development aspects--I did not figure out "whodunnit" but I DID figure out a big secret in the book WAY before Dixie did. Well, actually, she NEVER figured it out--another character did. Maybe Dixie is way more naive than I am. I dunno.
I was also irritated at the author's assertion: "Blood has bacteria that seeps into cracks and crevices and gets into the air. It takes a specialized cleaning crew to sanitize a house where a brutal homicide has taken place." This makes it seem as if blood is festering with infection, and that's why the clean-up after homicides, when blood has no more bacteria in it (usually) than is EVERYWHERE present. Blood-borne pathogens are usually viruses, not bacteria. Most of the sanitization of a crime scene has more to do with killing any viruses present and removing any traces of hemoglobin. Most people do not like to dwell on the fact that our world is literally teeming with bacteria, molds, and very small "critters" that for the most part are harmless, and sometimes even beneficial to our health. But for the majority of readers, that would not even irritate them. I think my occupation as a clinical laboratory scientist has made me a little too sensitive about such matters! :-)
I can also highly recommend the author's blog (Kitty Litter) on her website: www.blaizeclement.com. In this book, as in previous books, she mentions Cora's Chocolate Bread. Well, I just happen to be going to a party tomorrow and wanted to try it, so I searched her website for "chocolate bread recipe" and found the blog entry that had the recipe. I am so excited to try it! I even have all the ingredients on hand. I will edit this review after I have tried it out and let you know how it came out. (Lisa, if you are reading this review, be sure to remind me!)
Overall, I love this series, and I really LOVED this book! If you like cozy mysteries, like I do, and like animals, you would love this series too! Try it out.
I was also irritated at the author's assertion: "Blood has bacteria that seeps into cracks and crevices and gets into the air. It takes a specialized cleaning crew to sanitize a house where a brutal homicide has taken place." This makes it seem as if blood is festering with infection, and that's why the clean-up after homicides, when blood has no more bacteria in it (usually) than is EVERYWHERE present. Blood-borne pathogens are usually viruses, not bacteria. Most of the sanitization of a crime scene has more to do with killing any viruses present and removing any traces of hemoglobin. Most people do not like to dwell on the fact that our world is literally teeming with bacteria, molds, and very small "critters" that for the most part are harmless, and sometimes even beneficial to our health. But for the majority of readers, that would not even irritate them. I think my occupation as a clinical laboratory scientist has made me a little too sensitive about such matters! :-)
I can also highly recommend the author's blog (Kitty Litter) on her website: www.blaizeclement.com. In this book, as in previous books, she mentions Cora's Chocolate Bread. Well, I just happen to be going to a party tomorrow and wanted to try it, so I searched her website for "chocolate bread recipe" and found the blog entry that had the recipe. I am so excited to try it! I even have all the ingredients on hand. I will edit this review after I have tried it out and let you know how it came out. (Lisa, if you are reading this review, be sure to remind me!)
Overall, I love this series, and I really LOVED this book! If you like cozy mysteries, like I do, and like animals, you would love this series too! Try it out.
January 31, 2012
A great plot, although the twist at the end was a dead giveaway to me from the beginning. The murderer completely escaped me however and the story line was intriguing. Not my favourite in the series because the author messes with some of the main characters in ways I am not a fan of. Still, I grew up on Siesta Key and reading one of these books is like being home, so I'll always be a fan of the series.
October 17, 2020
Dixie is pet sitting for a famous football player's cats when she finds a dead body in his home.
The books in these series are reliably good. They move along quickly (even though a lot of time is spent with the minutia of Dixie's day) and they make me jealous of the idea of living in Florida and pet-sitting for a living. I appreciate that Dixie's indecision about Guidry is wrapped up in this book and that it wasn't a cop-out.
I read this book with my 88-year-old mom. She liked it too and said "It's not as fast paced as a thriller but it's really good." We'll definitely be reading more in the series.
The books in these series are reliably good. They move along quickly (even though a lot of time is spent with the minutia of Dixie's day) and they make me jealous of the idea of living in Florida and pet-sitting for a living. I appreciate that Dixie's indecision about Guidry is wrapped up in this book and that it wasn't a cop-out.
I read this book with my 88-year-old mom. She liked it too and said "It's not as fast paced as a thriller but it's really good." We'll definitely be reading more in the series.
July 12, 2018
I did figure out about Briana and Elvis' paper, but the end was a surprise to me. I enjoyed the mystery and can't wait to read the next one.
February 6, 2012
OK, I'll admit I didn't want to wait to see where Dixie was going with her romance (I was number 113 on the waiting list at the library), so I bought the book. Since Dixie seems so caught up in detailing the relationship with her brother and brother-in-love, I was surprised she didn't catch on to the probable gender switch by Briana; especially as the story Briana told didn't jive with Cupcake's. I'm confident most reader's put that together long before Dixie...which makes her a little dense. The relationship conclusion with Guidry turned out a little too slick, but it gives the story line somewhere to go and keeps the setting in FL. Overall, I liked this one a little more than the others...maybe because the characters are developing more fully and the story lines aren't as shallow as the earlier ones.
July 10, 2016
Once I started this I could not put it down. I have read a couple other Cat Sitter Mysteries and enjoyed them as well. Dixie Hemingway, cat sitter and crime solver, stumbles first across an intruder in a client’s home and then a body. This puts Dixie right in the thick of the investigation, whether she wants to be or not. The plot twists and turns involving counterfeit goods, the FBI, Interpol, supermodels and more.
What sets this series apart from many cozies is the pacing, it is paced more like a thriller. It keeps you turning the pages with the momentum of the story, however it still manages to pay attention to the cast of recurring characters allowing the reader to “get to know them” through their interactions with Dixie. Excellent mystery series. I would highly recommend it to fans of cozies or traditional mysteries
What sets this series apart from many cozies is the pacing, it is paced more like a thriller. It keeps you turning the pages with the momentum of the story, however it still manages to pay attention to the cast of recurring characters allowing the reader to “get to know them” through their interactions with Dixie. Excellent mystery series. I would highly recommend it to fans of cozies or traditional mysteries
August 18, 2017
.
This is the first book written by John Clements, after collaborating with his mother before she passed away.
The positive points are that most of the description align with the previous books nicely.
The negative point, which really irks me, is that the author thinks that a woman finds a man 'sexy' because of his use of profanity. That affected me in the opposite manner completely, turning me off! There was excessive profanity from several people, which I don't recall in any of the previous books. I personally do not think it is necessary. It detracts from the moral fitness of the characters, especially since they have never behaved that way it in the past.
Characters should grow and mature as the series progresses, not decline as they did in this one.
This is the first book written by John Clements, after collaborating with his mother before she passed away.
The positive points are that most of the description align with the previous books nicely.
The negative point, which really irks me, is that the author thinks that a woman finds a man 'sexy' because of his use of profanity. That affected me in the opposite manner completely, turning me off! There was excessive profanity from several people, which I don't recall in any of the previous books. I personally do not think it is necessary. It detracts from the moral fitness of the characters, especially since they have never behaved that way it in the past.
Characters should grow and mature as the series progresses, not decline as they did in this one.
July 3, 2020
What an entertaining read this was! I was a little skeptical going into the series simply because I was afraid that the animals would be lost in the background (I am just SO addicted to cozies with cats and/or paranormal). To my delight, this was an entertaining mix of a very good mystery balanced with cats and dogs who are very much "normal" cats and dogs but also very much the wonderfully individual little fursonalities that they are! The Dixie Hemingway Mystery series is now on my "collect and keep" list!
February 13, 2012
While I am fully aware that the author has passed on, I am happy with the results her son got with the book. I hope he intends to continue the series for a few years longer.
October 24, 2013
This author wrote very enjoyable mysteries. Unhappily, Blaize Clement died in 2011. Her son finished her last book and it was released this year.
September 9, 2018
I gave it 2 stars because I'm peeved about Guidry.
February 17, 2025
Short but very interesting. Genuinely I have a lot to think about just from this short book. I found it at a Good Will and have never read anything else in the series but I had a great time reading it. Some of the aspects I found very blunt but I also felt that author cared about her characters deeply.
Spoilers: the treatment of the trans character in this book was a massive horror/mystery novel stereotype. The theme of fakeness paired with a trans character felt really reductive, but I also felt like the author cared about this character and wanted the reader to consider her as a whole person. In a lot of ways it was super stereotypical and outdated but I also found it pleasantly surprising that this character wasn't disregarded and was treated as a human. Some things were good some were bad.
Spoilers: the treatment of the trans character in this book was a massive horror/mystery novel stereotype. The theme of fakeness paired with a trans character felt really reductive, but I also felt like the author cared about this character and wanted the reader to consider her as a whole person. In a lot of ways it was super stereotypical and outdated but I also found it pleasantly surprising that this character wasn't disregarded and was treated as a human. Some things were good some were bad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2017
I don’t like being mean but I couldn’t wait to be done with this book. If I didn’t have a compulsive need to finish every book I start I probably would have switched to another book much sooner. I like mysteries where the main character tries to solve the mystery. She just went about her day without any investigating, some visits to people that had nothing to do with the crime. More time was spent on whether she should break up with her current boyfriend & date someone else. Then the “mystery” was solved in a couple pages near the end. Also her brother that she lives next to is gay & she made a comment that the serpent was the only honest one in the garden of eden. Enough rambling. Time to move on to another book FINALLY!!!!
March 29, 2025
This is the first book in this series I have read. I managed to purchase a copy very cheaply at a library sale years ago and it has literally been in my house for years and I just spontaneously picked it up off the top of a pile and decided now was the time to finally read it! 😬
I definitely enjoyed it. I appreciate the complexity of the main character's feelings and life experiences. And I will definitely plan to read more of the series, starting with the first installment. My only reservation is that this book was not as "cozy" as I typically like my "cozy" mysteries to be--a bit more violence and criminals who were a bit crazier and more cruel than I typically appreciate. But not enough to deter my overall enjoyment and appreciation!
I definitely enjoyed it. I appreciate the complexity of the main character's feelings and life experiences. And I will definitely plan to read more of the series, starting with the first installment. My only reservation is that this book was not as "cozy" as I typically like my "cozy" mysteries to be--a bit more violence and criminals who were a bit crazier and more cruel than I typically appreciate. But not enough to deter my overall enjoyment and appreciation!
February 16, 2019
Dixie is taking care of the cats, Elvis and Lucy, at the home of famous linebacker, Cupcake Trillin. She enters the home to find an almost naked woman who informs her that she is Briana, wife of Cupcake. Dixie immediately calls Cupcake on the phone to ask if anyone had permission to be in his house. When he and his WIFE say it is a stalker, Dixie calls the sheriff's department. When they arrive, the woman has fled, but there is now a dead woman lying in the house. Later, Briana finds Dixie and insists that she did not kill that woman. Dixie takes Briana to see the lawyer Ethan Crane, who in turn finds Briana a criminal defense attorney. What is going on?
December 6, 2021
On to the next one in the series. The reason I love this cat sitter mystery series so much is that it takes place in Florida where I just moved to and it's a cat sitter, which is what I used to be. I just love the main character and how she's trying to put her life back together. The mystery is secondary to me really.
December 27, 2021
This was my introduction to the series and, sorry to say, I had the mystery solved too early. But the reason I gave it 2 stars was the continual repetition of conversations and facts. It felt as though this was a short story that needed padding to become novel-length. Friends have urged me to try one of the earlier books in the series as Clement was critically ill when Pajamas was written.
July 31, 2018
Brought home a requested Charles Lenox book today. After starting it, realized it seemed quite familiar. Checked on GR & confirmed I had read it, to my chagrin.
I did pick up what seems a bit of cozy fluff as well, with a cute name, so will start it. Probably perfect for a hot summer afternoon.
Good read, not too demanding, but not cloying. Ended up looking for another one by same author for hot summer day/night reading.
I did pick up what seems a bit of cozy fluff as well, with a cute name, so will start it. Probably perfect for a hot summer afternoon.
Good read, not too demanding, but not cloying. Ended up looking for another one by same author for hot summer day/night reading.
November 4, 2021
These Dixie Hemingway mysteries are so enjoyable to read. It’s sad that Blaize past away. Does anyone know if her son will write more stories. He wrote a few. In the last book Dixie decide not to move with her sort of boyfriend. She does figure out she needs to stay in Florida.
October 10, 2023
Dixie Hemingway has to be the best pet sitter ever! As a former deputy sheriff, she can help solve the mystery of the dead body in her friend's living room. Not the first book in the series, I wasn't confused by her relationships, as the author does a nice job to catching the reader up.
December 11, 2017
Next sunset! (strenuously rubbing hands together with breathy, maniacal laughter).
March 30, 2018
fun light read
April 9, 2019
Fun read
April 10, 2020
Fast and easy cosy mystery to read. The main character is relatable and the pets add a touch of humor.
March 4, 2021
Dixie is cat sitting for Cupcake--nice to meet him and his wife again--when this mystery starts. Who is the woman in their house who claims to have grown up with him? I always enjoy re-connecting with Dixie and her family and friends. And I sure didn't guess who the woman was. An enjoyable read and I want one of those cat lairs for my cats!
October 23, 2022
this is my first book from this series. I liked animals, but to be honest this book didn't seem too cozy and I prefer cozies where murderer is simply someone next door
November 3, 2022
Excellent
I have read 7 books of this series and enjoyed every one. Since I live in Sarasota it is fun to recognize local landmarks.
I have read 7 books of this series and enjoyed every one. Since I live in Sarasota it is fun to recognize local landmarks.
February 18, 2023
Fun story, love Dixie and the things she gets herself into. One of the more fun series out there.
July 22, 2023
I thought it was slow to start with but moved along pretty well after that. The ending was not what i expected but fit the book really well.
January 21, 2012
After several serious books, I decided it was time again for something light and cozy. The Cat Sitters Pajamas really hit the right tone in more ways than one! Since I had just picked this book up at the library, I decided to dip right in. I started it yesterday and finished today. (Since we had freezing rain atop 2 inches of snow this morning, and the temperature hasn't gone above 30 degrees, I decided the best thing I could do was snuggle up with a book about cats and pets that takes place in Florida!)
This delightful book continues the saga of Dixie Hemingway, pet sitter and former deputy sheriff who had lost her husband and child to an elderly driver. Dixie is taking care of two cats, Elvin and Lucy, who belong to a famous football player, Cupcake Trillin, and his wife, Jancey.
They are taking a cooking vacation in Italy, and Dixie has a temporary security code to their villa in a high end secure neighborhood. However, no security is perfect because when Dixie steps into the house, she is greeted by a woman wearing nothing more than one of Calvin's shirts.
She is supermodel, Briana, who claims to be a childhood friend of Cupcake's. She has equipment which allows her to bypass security. Unfortunately, there is more to this than meets the eye when a dead woman with no ID is found in the house. Soon Dixie is drawn into a web of high end counterfeit goods, Serbian gangsters and more. It's a fun book and the latest in a series that I read from the beginning. Unfortunately, in reading some recent reviews, I learned that the author, Blaize Clement, died last summer. Her son, John Clement, is continuing the series and a new book is due to be published in 2013. I hope her son does a good job because I've enjoyed the little pet tips, and other trivia. One of the things included in the book is that if you freeze chocolate chip cookies after they have cooled, the chocolate sets up better and the cookies are crispier. I'm going to have to give that a try. RIP, Blaize Clements. Here's hoping John can continue the series.
This delightful book continues the saga of Dixie Hemingway, pet sitter and former deputy sheriff who had lost her husband and child to an elderly driver. Dixie is taking care of two cats, Elvin and Lucy, who belong to a famous football player, Cupcake Trillin, and his wife, Jancey.
They are taking a cooking vacation in Italy, and Dixie has a temporary security code to their villa in a high end secure neighborhood. However, no security is perfect because when Dixie steps into the house, she is greeted by a woman wearing nothing more than one of Calvin's shirts.
She is supermodel, Briana, who claims to be a childhood friend of Cupcake's. She has equipment which allows her to bypass security. Unfortunately, there is more to this than meets the eye when a dead woman with no ID is found in the house. Soon Dixie is drawn into a web of high end counterfeit goods, Serbian gangsters and more. It's a fun book and the latest in a series that I read from the beginning. Unfortunately, in reading some recent reviews, I learned that the author, Blaize Clement, died last summer. Her son, John Clement, is continuing the series and a new book is due to be published in 2013. I hope her son does a good job because I've enjoyed the little pet tips, and other trivia. One of the things included in the book is that if you freeze chocolate chip cookies after they have cooled, the chocolate sets up better and the cookies are crispier. I'm going to have to give that a try. RIP, Blaize Clements. Here's hoping John can continue the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews