Death in the Dark

by K.L. Montgomery

A double life, a dark secret and a disappearance create another wild ride for Cat and the Felines of Fairytale Forest!

At the Fairytale Forest amusement park, there’s been a shakeup in the management. Cat and Gloria are getting used to their new manager, who tasks them with training a new custodian. Meanwhile, the park’s feline exterminators continue to wage war over disputed territories.

When a park employee goes missing, of course Cat and Gloria were the last ones to see him.Cat is once again thrust into the role of amateur sleuth. At least this time she knows Zoe and her clowder have her back.

Missing Security Guard Kevin Morris appears to be leading somewhat of a double life. Can Cat, Gloria, Zoe and the gang follow the clues to solve the case of his mysterious disappearance? Or did Kevin’s secrets lead to his untimely demise?

Death in the Dark is the second book in the Felines of Fairytale Forest cozy mystery series. Visit a southern amusement park full of fantasy creatures and feline exterminators and meet Cat, a tenacious fifty-something custodian, and her spirited coworker Gloria. These ladies just can’t resist a good mystery. Follow the clues and solve the case alongside Cat, Gloria and the whole furry gang!

Book 1: Murder by Moonlight

Book 2: Death in the Dark

Book 3: Spirits after Sunset

234 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 29, 2024

About the author

K.L. Montgomery writes #bodypositive sweet romance and romcom. A librarian in a former life, she now works as an editor and runs the 5000-member Indie Author Support group on Facebook in addition to publishing under two names.

Though she remains a Hoosier at heart, K.L. shares her coastal Delaware home with some furry creatures and her husband, who is on the furry side as well. She has an undying love for her three sons, Broadway musicals, the beach, Seinfeld, the color teal, IU basketball, paisleys, and dark chocolate.

Visit K.L.'s website at www.klmontgomery.com and sign up for her newsletter. You can follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/GreenCastles, Twitter (@KLMontgomery8) or Instagram (k.l.montgomery)

Reviews

[Annemieke Westerbeek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book from the zoo, and I love it. The characters are wonderfully described, and the story is well written. I could see myself walking through all of the park.
The mystery is uncovered and the cats are hilarious.
Loved it, I want to read more of this.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cat, the human, and Zoe, the cat, team up again to solve the case of a missing park employee. Kevin Morris, seemed so mild mannered at park security, but his obsession with a role playing game painted a different picture outside of work. Zoe recruits Kevin’s cat, Snow, into her clowder and their battle against Scar and his minions. With the reputation of the amusement park at stake, Cat & Gloria recruit new trainee, Nora, and park heir, Jayden, into the investigation. Can they figure out the culprit before bad publicity closes the park down? And will the mastermind behind the park’s woes be unmasked?

A thoroughly unique and enjoyable mystery from K.L. Montgomery. The alternating viewpoints between Cat and Zoe add an interesting dimension to the unfolding events. The feral cats have their own distinct personalities among the different clowders in the park. The introduction of the River Cats gave Zoe another cause to tangle with Scar over. And their lives being affected if the park closes makes Zoe’s involvement in solving the case understandable. The role playing plot was spot on with how it influenced Kevin’s demise. Plenty of twists and red herrings to keep the pages turning. With an evil mastermind still in the shadows, it looks like Cat & Zoe will have more adventures.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Reader_for_LifeTLG · Rating 5 out of 5]

A twisted game - Another park employee has run afoul of the Grim Reaper and it's up to Catherine and Zoe to uncover the truth. As quiet and meek as the victim might have been at work, the exact opposite is true as he took on his player persona. But who would want to hurt him? As the suspects stack up, Cat, Zoe, and their crew of sleuths race against the clock to find a killer. The mastermind is foiled again, the park still open despite his/her best devious efforts. The game continues....

I am loving this series. Cat and Gloria are a powerhouse team I would liken to Holmes and Watson, with a kitty cat sidekick who can communicate to Cat. The clowder Zoe runs is a cast of characters I liken to the Seven Dwarves, their personalities as varied as their breeds. It's cute how Zoe gets her own admirer in Snow, whose subordinate human (how catty of them to disavow the concept of being "owned" by a biped) was taken from him too soon. A great story and I can't wait to find out the ultimate park predator.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Margery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zoe really has her paws full this time! Keeping Scar and his crew from harassing the peaceful water cats. She also meets a new male, one that was not brought into the park, but, was carried down a river right into the park. Perhaps a romance is on the horizon for them. A visit to the water cats brings Zoe across a dead body that has washed up to shore. Cat working under a co-worker who is now a supervisor give Cat a new employee to train. She has to be careful when and how to reveal the murder, find suspects and interview them with out the public finding out. The publicity would cause the park to close, perhaps for good. Who would murder a quiet security guard? Someone he knew or is there a sinister hidden person creating 'situations' that cause murder? Suspense thru the whole book and this series seems to just get better with each book. I cannot wait till the next one!

[Sandy T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this cozy murder mystery
The cat colonies and their daily life in the park are the real stars in the story in my opinion. Catherine, nicknamed Cat, is the amateur sleuth, an employee in the family owned amusement park who is able to communicate with Zoe, one of the many cats living in the park. I was disappointed in Cat withholding evidence from the police. Overall the story was good, entertaining and well paced.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story. The characters are very likable and they feel so real. I think that the author has studied cats and they are able to process how they behave. I loved the clowder politics. I liked the human-feline alliance to protect the park and solve crimes.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Divya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was yet another great cozy mystery in the series that starts with the murder of another employee at Fairytale Forest. It is the up to Cat and her trusted friends to solve the mystery and save Fairytale Forest from doom! I really liked Zoe and the cats. A well paced interesting cozy mystery with some adorable felines.

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series. A missing employee is causing much concern in the Fairytale Forest Park. Amateur sleuths Cat, Gloria and Zoe the cat embark on a search for clues to find the missing person. This a a cute cozy mystery that takes my mind off all the negatives in life. Such fun reading the adventures of the bipeds and cats.

[Sarah Welsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect cosy magical murder mystery.
Lighthearted and easy to read after some heavy books of late.
Lovely to revisit Cat and everyone at Fairytale Forest.