Suck It Up

The Croftverse

by Brad Magnarella

They say it takes a predator to catch one. Does an overweight cat qualify?

With my apartment scheduled for fumigation, Tabitha and I are forced to pitch camp in my friend’s living room.

Fortunately, Kayla already knows my succubus cat can talk—and that she doesn’t hold back. But something’s been preying on our host. I immediately suspect her new roommates, mainly the creep with the vampiric vibes.

The feeder could also be lurking inside Kayla’s favorite nightclub, which will require this bookish wizard to infiltrate New York’s hardcore punk scene. And since I can’t leave Tabitha alone, we’re teaming up again. Even if she is eyeing the crowd a little too hungrily…

Can we nail the predator before it devours my friend? And can I keep Tabitha from going full predator herself?

Let’s don some studded leather and find out.

Croft & Tabby is a spinoff of the popular Prof Croft series, set before the main books. If you like snarky cats, fledgling mages, and supernatural investigations, you'll love Croft & Tabby!

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal, Audiobook, Supernatural

79 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 23, 2023

About the author

Brad Magnarella writes urban fantasy for the same reason most read it – to explore worlds where magic crackles from fingertips, vampires and shifters walk city streets, cats talk (some excessively), and good prevails against all odds. It’s shamelessly fun.

His three main series, Prof Croft, Blue Wolf, and Maddy Deeds, make up the growing Croftverse, with nearly a half-million books sold to date and an Independent Audiobook Award nomination.

Hopelessly nomadic, Brad can be found in a rented room overseas or hiking America's backcountry.

To learn more about the Croftverse, and download two free prequel novellas, visit his website at bradmagnarella.com

Reviews

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining fantasy listening 🎶🔰

Prof Croft and Tabitha are called upon to move out of the apartment building for a few days due to pestilence treatment. They go to Kayla apartment building to stay with her. Things have changed she has three new roommates. Kayla is not looking good Croft wonders if it is the guy 👦 who appears to be a vampire and the fun begins. I would recommend this novella series and author to 👍 readers of fantasy haunting novels 👍🔰. 2023 👒😀😡🏡

[Lin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tabby smiled!

This is a fun installment of Croft and Tabitha.  I cackled at Tabby, especially when she was smiling.  Tabby smiled! This one has a return character needing help and Tabby not only leaves the apartment but actually helps, welllll a little bit anyway. There's quite a few twists in this novella and they are sooo good. There's a lot of action packed into this novella.  The action kept moving at a fast pace, I was engaged throughout.  The twists were brilliant!  Brad is so good at dropping hints that make sense at the end but truly leave you guessing until that end point.  Loved it and am looking forward to the next installment!
I love the adventures of Croft and Tabby and recommend grabbing this, especially if you love Tabitha's antics.

[Tawnya · Rating 4 out of 5]

We get Kayla again. At this point the spin-off might as well be sub-titled “Croft, Tabby, and Kayla” since all three books have her. She is a bit of a ditz, but she has a good heart, so no complaints from me. This book shows me why the whole punk genre was never my thing. We do get a quick mention of someone whom I don’t think we’ve seen since the first book. Tabatha is her normal grumpy self. The image of her riding on Everson’s shoulders was funny! I swear I remember him saying she weighed 40 pounds in another book. Maybe he was being facetious, but we know she is a tubby tabby. Everson isn’t renowned for his body strength! That leather jacket worked overtime since her claws were the only reason she could have stayed on. As usual I enjoyed peeking into the past with these characters.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

These side adventures featuring Tabby and Croft earlier in their relationship are just a joy to read. This time out Croft and Tabby are forced, through mundane circumstances, to tackle a supernatural mystery in the city's punk underbelly afflicting a friend. The banter between these two reluctant partners is always entertaining as they almost work together to figure out the source of the problem. I personally hope we have more of these short, fun adventures in the future.

[Lulu · Rating 5 out of 5]

“She’s been surprisingly accurate,” I pointed out, though I still couldn’t figure out how, given that she was mortal through and through. But our last case, with the Babaroga, hadn’t been a fluke. “And that grating voice,” Tabitha continued. “Ugh.”

[Victoria Mckenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an enjoyable story! I enjoy the tidbits of information about Croft's early days with Tabitha, learning his craft, and I chuckled reading about his tight budget issues.
The plot, pacing and characters were well written.
I am already looking forward to the next one.
Recommended.

[Corinne Loder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

Croft is amazing on how he adapts as a situation presents itself. And Tabatha is her usual self. An enemy is killed but the real threat is much closer. A short read that I wish it was longer.

[Pheebee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Next one please

Just hurry up with the next one as I have enjoyed this book so much and want more please. OK 👍

[Rebecca McEwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great!

Enjoyed this second book of the Croft and Tabby series. They are a fun read and having started reading with the first of the Grimstone books its good to learn the background and history

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

enjoyed it, I kind of like having short stories that you can read just before bed, or when you don't have a lot of time to settle down and read for 2 or 3 hours. Fun Fanciful, I like these Croft and Tabby books. I also like the Grimstone books by the same author with Croft and Weston. Brad Magnarella is a good storyteller. I have read several of the Blue Wolf stories, and many of just Prof Croft. All have been very well written and kept me wanting more. I love wizarding stories that are fun, have some humor, and have lots of challenges.

[FionaH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another enjoyable romp from Croft’s early days with Tabitha. Once again featuring the kooky Kayla, this story is fast-paced, funny and a great addition to the back-story of Croft and Tabby’s relationship.

[Cat Edscorn]

Shadows and Childhood Wounds

Another great short story! A brief soiree into the dark side of human nature. Punk and Light and magic make for an intense adventure with Everson, Tabitha and Kaylie saving a small section of humanity - again!

[Mike Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new favorite!

I loved seeing Tabitha getting plenty of screen time and showing off her knowledge and power sensitivities! All while still being her delightfully grumpy self.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny and creative as usual with one of my fav characters Kayla. Plenty of action and Crofts detective work are up to the spin off series standards for sure.

[Norma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick, but entertaining read.

I am a huge Croft fan and I love even the short adventures. Helps me endure the wait between the bigger adventures.

[georgia ramsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Worth reading, from start to finish.
Intriguing and charming.
Can't wait for the next installments. Will recommend to my friends.

[Enid Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Tabitha

Tabitha actually becomes helpful *gasp* will the revelations never end?
Thou she is good at hiding it she is showing a bit of love for Prof. Croft.

[Marci · Rating 2 out of 5]

These prequel books have all been meh so far, this one a bit better than the last. At least we didn’t have the author adding unnecessary love interest tangents when we haven’t really been introduced to this magic system and para normal world properly. I may change my mind after I get to the primary books of the series, but I currently do not believe these Croft & Tabby should be read before we learn what happened when Everson was trained in the Order. Nothing that is happening in these Croft & Tabby books that makes a whole hell of a lot of sense. I mean, they’re fine on their own, but they are missing so much context that I’m not enjoying these as much as I might if I really end up liking the series.

I’m also a little concerned I won’t like the overall series because it looks like Tabitha is a character still when I do a search for her name in the ebooks I have from Kindle Unlimited. I really do not like her, so we’ll see how it goes.

[Rachel Oberlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always Jumping

I find that reading these shorts are good for a quick laugh. The wizard goes in for a problem and has to deal with it and the succubus cat. This one wasn't quite as funny, but it did have a good point about knowing yourself and not letting others take advantage of you.
And I think that Everson needs to change his exercise regimen. All that jumping to conclusions is going to bite him in the butt one day. But kicked on trying not to swear.

[Riana Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked that Magnarella didn't go with the predictable "two friends of opposite genders show up in a couple of books together so, of course, they HAVE to fall into some kind of romantic entanglement." I was wincing when Magnarella brushed up against the theme and then was ecstatic when the characters had a clear "just friends" moment! Hopefully it starts that way through the series, at least for a while - I always like the depth provided in a story from a non-romantic opposite gender dynamic.

[Holly Stone]

short quick read Prof. Croft has a showdown with his friend Kayla's shadow which she unknowingly released in a ceremony she did with her new friends. With the help (grudgingly) of his succubus cat Tabby and a couple of Kayla's friends it is a wild ride that no one foresaw coming.... fun listen/read if you read it I hope you enjoy it. :)

[LIBBY Hardel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun Croft and Tabby short! The story speeds by way too fast, I could do 300+ pages of these two! Just still really enjoying Brad's writing style, still loving Croft, still loving the pacing and the fact that I don't always figure it out until the end! I highly recommend this author!

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Light, fun and another great way to hang out with some quirky characters.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

More please!

Fun short read.
Can't wait for next novel!
Satisfying follow up on Kayla and Tabitha and Croft are perfection as always.

[Eva D Ayers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the cat its funny

[Kat Lebo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun read. Croft's magic with Tabitha's snark, Kayla's perceptions, and, of course, plenty of action, made this a fast read, as well.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun novella involving Tabitha and Croft early on in their relationship.

[Bookbeard · Rating 4 out of 5]

story line: ***
main characters: *****
side characters: ****
world building: ****
editing: *****

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love these short tales!

[Rene Averett · Rating 5 out of 5]

another fun read

I love these Croft and Tabby novellas. The plot is clever and the humor is devine. Great paranormal series and highly recommended.