The Case of the Reptile Rescuing Receptionist

Buttercup Bend Mysteries #5

by Debbie De Louise

Newlywed Cathy Jefferson is looking forward to a peaceful honeymoon on Long Island with her husband, Steve - until she discovers a body near their cottage.

The victim is a former hotel employee who seems to have died from venomous snake bites. When the hotel manager pleads for Cathy’s help to clear his name, she reluctantly agrees, enlisting her friends Nancy and Mildred to join the investigation.

As Cathy and her friends dig deeper into the case, they uncover a tangled web of suspects, from Brenda’s ex-husband to eccentric reptile rescue volunteers and hotel staff with plenty to hide.

The fifth book in Debbie De Louise's Buttercup Bend cozy mystery series, THE CASE OF THE REPTILE RESCUING RECEPTIONIST, will test Cathy’s sleuthing skills - and courage - like never before.

224 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 18, 2024

About the author

Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and a reference librarian at a public library on Long Island. She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters-in-Crime, and the Cat Writer’s Association. She has a BA in English and an MLS in Library Science from Long Island University. Her published novels include the 6 books of her Cobble Cove cozy mystery series: A Stone's Throw, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Written in Stone, Love on the Rocks, No Gravestone Unturned, and Sneaky's Supernatural Mystery and Other Cobble Cove Stories, her paranormal romance, Cloudy Rainbow, her mystery thriller Reason to Die, her psychological mystery, Sea Scope, and her time-travel novel, Time's Relative. She also published a romantic comedy novella featuring a jewel heist caper, When Jack Trumps Ace and a cat poetry book, Meows and Purrs. Debbie also has a new series, the Buttercup Bend Mysteries, the first one of which is The Case of the Cat Crazy Lady. Debbie has also written articles and short stories for several anthologies of various genres. She lives on Long Island with her husband, daughter, and two cats.

Reviews

[John Presler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cathy and Steve Jefferson are celebrating their honeymoon at Waterside Gardens on Long Island. Mr. Gannon, the manager, has provided them with the Honeymoon Cottage. Steve and Cathy are enjoying the cottage while waiting for Gannon to bring their bags from the car. While walking in the woods near the cottage and taking pictures, Cathy almost trips. Thinking she stubbed he toe on a tree branch, Cathy discovers the body of a woman covered with twigs and leaves. As Cathy was ready to call the police, Gannon arrives with their bags and she tells him about the body. Gannon recognized the woman as Brenda Parkins, the reception who had recently quit after an argument with Gannon. The M.E. determined that Brenda has been hit on the back of the head and had snake bites on her arms and legs. Steve and Cathy still hope to enjoy their honeymoon without worrying about the body. A little while later, Cathy gets a call from Gannon and he requests her help, as he thinks the police will try to pin Brenda's murder on him. He asks Cathy to help prove his innocence by finding out who killed Brenda. One thing that Gannon mentioned that may or may not be of help is that Brenda also volunteered at a Reptile Rescue Center.

Meanwhile, Nancy and Brian are celebrating their honeymoon in Paris when Cathy tells her about the case, piquing her interest.

Who killed Brenda? Why was she killed? Did the snake bites contribute to her death or just a distraction? Can Cathy and her friends unravel the mystery and discover the truth?

Debbie De Louise has another fantastic mystery with her latest Buttercup Bend Mystery. With realistic characters and situations, there are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged clear to the end.

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Cozy Mystery Full of Charm, Twists, and Scaly Surprises!

Debbie De Louise does it again with The Case of the Reptile Rescuing Receptionist! From the first page, I was pulled into Cathy and Steve’s not-so-peaceful honeymoon because, naturally, what’s a getaway without a dead body and a venomous mystery to unravel?

The small-town charm of Buttercup Bend shines through, but what really makes this book stand out is the quirky, lovable cast and the clever way Debbie layers suspects, secrets, and red herrings. Cathy’s sleuthing skills are sharp as ever, and I loved how she teamed up once again with Nancy and Mildred a trio you can’t help but root for.

Also, the reptile rescue angle? Completely unexpected and delightfully different. You can tell Debbie knows how to keep her cozy mysteries fresh while still giving longtime fans what they love: heart, humor, and a healthy dose of feline presence.

If you’re looking for a cozy mystery with personality, a plot that keeps you guessing, and a heroine who’s as compassionate as she is clever, this is your next read. Can’t wait for the next in the series!

[Mary Deal · Rating 5 out of 5]

All Under Suspicion

The Case of the Reptile Rescuing Receptionist, by Debbie De Louise, is the 5th book in the Buttercup Bend series. Though this is the first book in this series I have read, it was easy to pick up the lives of the characters that flow through the series. I have read numerous books by this author and love the way she builds characters and settings.

This story starts with Cathy and her new husband on their honeymoon. The plot revolves around solving the death of a former hotel employee whose body contained several snake bites. Cathy runs an animal rescue center back in their home town. Against her wishes and preference to stay away from reptiles – and her husband’s dislike of them - she may end up including rescued reptiles. Would that really work out for her?

This plot includes several viable suspects. The author deftly weaves suspicion around each one, leaving this reader rapidly tapping pages on a Kindle to learn whodunnit. And oh! What a crooked web of deceit.