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A Bad Luck Cat Mystery #1
Black Cat Crossing
In the first in this cat-filled cozy series, aspiring mystery author Sabrina Tate is about to discover that when it comes to solving murders, her new feline friend Hitchcock is a master of sleuthing…
Sabrina has never been the superstitious type. Still, when she moves to Lavender, Texas, to write her first novel and help her Aunt Rowe manage her vacation rental business, Sabrina can’t avoid listening to the rumors that a local black cat is a jinx—especially after the stray in question leads her directly to the scene of a murder.
The deceased turns out to be none other than her Aunt Rowe’s awful cousin Bobby Joe Flowers, a known cheat and womanizer who had no shortage of enemies. The only problem is that Aunt Rowe and Bobby Joe had quarreled just before the cousin turned up dead, leaving Rowe at the top of the long list of suspects. Now it’s up to Sabrina to clear her aunt’s name. Luckily for her, she’s got a new sidekick, Hitchcock the Bad Luck Cat, to help her sniff out clues and stalk a killer before Aunt Rowe winds up the victim of even more misfortune…
Sabrina has never been the superstitious type. Still, when she moves to Lavender, Texas, to write her first novel and help her Aunt Rowe manage her vacation rental business, Sabrina can’t avoid listening to the rumors that a local black cat is a jinx—especially after the stray in question leads her directly to the scene of a murder.
The deceased turns out to be none other than her Aunt Rowe’s awful cousin Bobby Joe Flowers, a known cheat and womanizer who had no shortage of enemies. The only problem is that Aunt Rowe and Bobby Joe had quarreled just before the cousin turned up dead, leaving Rowe at the top of the long list of suspects. Now it’s up to Sabrina to clear her aunt’s name. Luckily for her, she’s got a new sidekick, Hitchcock the Bad Luck Cat, to help her sniff out clues and stalk a killer before Aunt Rowe winds up the victim of even more misfortune…
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 2015
86 people are currently reading
1804 people want to read
About the author
Kay Finch
8 books164 followersKay Finch is a Pennsylvania native but, as her husband likes to say, she got to Texas as fast as she could. She has worked as a legal assistant in Houston for the past seventeen years, beginning in the criminal law arena at Richard 'Racehorse' Haynes' firm before turning to a specialization in family law.
Series:
* Corie McKenna Mystery
Series:
* Corie McKenna Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
September 26, 2016
A serviceable cozy mystery, I just found myself bored while reading. The main character, Sabrina, is living in Lavender, Texas in order to write her first novel, while helping out at her Aunt Rowe's vacation cottages. A cousin that Sabrina doesn't really recall meeting comes back to threaten her Aunt Rowe and is found hours later, dead in a river nearby. Sabrina investigates when it starts to look like her Aunt Rowe may be arrested for murder.
Reading about someone try to write a story is really boring. So we have that going on while Sabrina 'investigates'. And I put investigates in quotes because she doesn't really. She goes around in the most ham fisted way possible and asks people questions. Based on what people tell her, she adds, and crosses people off her suspect list. I kind of rolled my eyes a few times, because most of the things that Sabrina does is act indignant if people don't want to talk to her (she's not a cop) and she in my mind, is not that smart. Considering that Sabrina is trying to write a murder mystery, you think she be better at investigating them.
The overall plot of who killed Sabrina's cousin tends to get overshadowed a lot by Sabrina becoming obsessed with a black cat that her aunt's general handyman wants to capture because he thinks the cat is bad luck. Of course after a while as a reader, you start to think that maybe the cat is magic since he keeps turning up every time Sabrina investigates and leads her to more clues. So the cat is definitely the smartest person in this whole story.
Sabrina's Aunt Rowe I had a problem with, she's not a sympathetic character, and seems really hardened to someone that Sabrina says was there for her in ways that her own mother was not. Sabrina has a not great relationship with her mother, and there is mention of a brother that we don't see her interacting with at all. Most of the characters in the book felt a little flat to me. For example, the character of Thomas we are introduced to Sabrina says that he is her aunt's best friend. But then we find out his age (30s, his aunt is in her 70s) and then it comes out that her aunt helped raise him. I found that whole thing interesting, but the book skips over it.
I think the big problem though is that the author tried to introduce too many things. We have a friend of Sabrina's that is forcing her to get her act together so she can meet an agent and get signed on to complete a book. Her Aunt Rowe seems focused on ignoring that her nephew is dead. Sabrina is being told spooky things by a town resident who believes she is a witch. And Sabrina is interested in the local game warden, who happens to have the sheriff's deputy interest as well. I am sure the next book will sort all that out. I just think I will pass on reading any more of this series. I used to love cozy's but most of them start to read very formulaic after a while.
The writing was okay, but the flow was all over the place. The story jumped around too much. The author also included recipes in the end, and I really didn't get why she did. Just because Sabrina bakes, it didn't make me want to bake anything she was mentioning because there were no details besides, I decided to bake some blah blah tarts.
The setting of Lavender didn't read that special to me and just read as a typical small town where all of the businesses had quirky names.
In the end Sabrina finds out who killed her cousin and why and gets answers to another death that happened decades earlier that didn't make a lot of sense to me.
Reading about someone try to write a story is really boring. So we have that going on while Sabrina 'investigates'. And I put investigates in quotes because she doesn't really. She goes around in the most ham fisted way possible and asks people questions. Based on what people tell her, she adds, and crosses people off her suspect list. I kind of rolled my eyes a few times, because most of the things that Sabrina does is act indignant if people don't want to talk to her (she's not a cop) and she in my mind, is not that smart. Considering that Sabrina is trying to write a murder mystery, you think she be better at investigating them.
The overall plot of who killed Sabrina's cousin tends to get overshadowed a lot by Sabrina becoming obsessed with a black cat that her aunt's general handyman wants to capture because he thinks the cat is bad luck. Of course after a while as a reader, you start to think that maybe the cat is magic since he keeps turning up every time Sabrina investigates and leads her to more clues. So the cat is definitely the smartest person in this whole story.
Sabrina's Aunt Rowe I had a problem with, she's not a sympathetic character, and seems really hardened to someone that Sabrina says was there for her in ways that her own mother was not. Sabrina has a not great relationship with her mother, and there is mention of a brother that we don't see her interacting with at all. Most of the characters in the book felt a little flat to me. For example, the character of Thomas we are introduced to Sabrina says that he is her aunt's best friend. But then we find out his age (30s, his aunt is in her 70s) and then it comes out that her aunt helped raise him. I found that whole thing interesting, but the book skips over it.
I think the big problem though is that the author tried to introduce too many things. We have a friend of Sabrina's that is forcing her to get her act together so she can meet an agent and get signed on to complete a book. Her Aunt Rowe seems focused on ignoring that her nephew is dead. Sabrina is being told spooky things by a town resident who believes she is a witch. And Sabrina is interested in the local game warden, who happens to have the sheriff's deputy interest as well. I am sure the next book will sort all that out. I just think I will pass on reading any more of this series. I used to love cozy's but most of them start to read very formulaic after a while.
The writing was okay, but the flow was all over the place. The story jumped around too much. The author also included recipes in the end, and I really didn't get why she did. Just because Sabrina bakes, it didn't make me want to bake anything she was mentioning because there were no details besides, I decided to bake some blah blah tarts.
The setting of Lavender didn't read that special to me and just read as a typical small town where all of the businesses had quirky names.
In the end Sabrina finds out who killed her cousin and why and gets answers to another death that happened decades earlier that didn't make a lot of sense to me.
September 17, 2019
I read this book to fill the Black Cat square of my 2019 Halloween Bingo Card.
This is a serviceable little cozy mystery. I generally enjoyed the mystery portion, but there were a couple of things that rubbed me the wrong way. The first was the protagonist, Sabrina Tate. She is depicted as absolutely unable to hold focus on anything. She is an aspiring author, but when it comes time to write, she’s worried about the mystery. When she’s investigating the mystery, she’s worried that she’s not writing. And her worries about a stray cat trump both and drag her around by the nose. I just can’t envision someone like this getting a book deal as easily and smoothly as happens in this novel.
My second problem with the whole situation is the whole “I must help the police or they will make a horrible mistake” assumption in the book. Now maybe I’m a naive Canadian, but I believe that the police are far better at investigating homicide than a scatter-brain like Sabrina. She just flails around asking annoying questions until other people want to hurt her. Her Aunt Rowe has a much more realistic attitude, repeatedly telling her to leave it to the police and they will sort things out.
So, with that off my chest, we can proceed to the things that I like. I did enjoy the cat escapades. Hitchcock was a great furry character. And I’m enjoying the foreshadowed romance coming between Sabrina and the cowboy Griffith. If I need to read a Black Cat book next Halloween, I can see myself reading the next book in this series for that purpose.
This is a serviceable little cozy mystery. I generally enjoyed the mystery portion, but there were a couple of things that rubbed me the wrong way. The first was the protagonist, Sabrina Tate. She is depicted as absolutely unable to hold focus on anything. She is an aspiring author, but when it comes time to write, she’s worried about the mystery. When she’s investigating the mystery, she’s worried that she’s not writing. And her worries about a stray cat trump both and drag her around by the nose. I just can’t envision someone like this getting a book deal as easily and smoothly as happens in this novel.
My second problem with the whole situation is the whole “I must help the police or they will make a horrible mistake” assumption in the book. Now maybe I’m a naive Canadian, but I believe that the police are far better at investigating homicide than a scatter-brain like Sabrina. She just flails around asking annoying questions until other people want to hurt her. Her Aunt Rowe has a much more realistic attitude, repeatedly telling her to leave it to the police and they will sort things out.
So, with that off my chest, we can proceed to the things that I like. I did enjoy the cat escapades. Hitchcock was a great furry character. And I’m enjoying the foreshadowed romance coming between Sabrina and the cowboy Griffith. If I need to read a Black Cat book next Halloween, I can see myself reading the next book in this series for that purpose.
September 5, 2015
Sabrina Tate has dreams like I do of being a writer.After a failed job in a law firm in Houston, Texas she moves to Lavender, Texas to write "The Great American Novel" and help her aunt Rowe with her vacation rental business because of her aunt's broken leg. "Around the World Cottages", with each cottage named and decorated after a country that Aunt Rowe has visited, an aspect I loved.
The whole town seems suspicious of what is known as the "Bad Luck Cat" making his way across the town and residents are in fear of the cat crossing their path and bringing them bad luck but not Sabrina. On the contrary, she has never been superstitious of anything supernatural except maybe the lady that owns the antique store who thinks Sabrina is a witch and not just because of her name.
The "Bad Luck Cat" leads Sabrina to the discovery of a dead body and it turns out to be Aunt Rowe's deadbeat cousin, Bobby Joe Flowers, he had a list of enemies a mile long and loved the women. Not so good for Aunt Rowe is that she and Bobby fought before his death and now Aunt Rowe has become a number one suspect in his murder. Bobby has claimed to be her brother making Aunt Rowe furious.
Sabrina on on the other hand is in a dilemma, with a appointment with a famous agent to talk about her book and helping prove her aunt Rowe is innocent and attending to her new friend a "Bad Luck Cat" Sabrina names "Hitchcock" who Sabrina can't help but come to love. Hitchcock is on the case along with Sabrina, clawing at the bit to find a killer before Sabrina's luck runs out.
I loved Sabrina from the first page, It's so great to be able to relate to a character and we seem a lot alike with our love for writing and certain "Bad Luck Cats". Sabrina has this determined attitude that I find is also a trait we share. Sabrina is a great amateur sleuth. Hitchcock and Sabrina make a perfect human and feline crime fighting pair and this was a great beginning to a series.
Hitchcock will become a fan favorite with his sneakiness and determination to get out of Sabrina's cottage to find more clues. Kay Finch's writing is fast paced, exciting and the story is engaging. Black Cat Crossing is a fun thrill ride with a "Bad Luck Cat" that becomes Sabrina's good luck charm.
FTC Disclosure Thank you to the publisher and/or author for providing us with a copy of this book for review.This did not influence our thoughts in any way. All the opinions of the book and review are our own and our reviews are honest.
The whole town seems suspicious of what is known as the "Bad Luck Cat" making his way across the town and residents are in fear of the cat crossing their path and bringing them bad luck but not Sabrina. On the contrary, she has never been superstitious of anything supernatural except maybe the lady that owns the antique store who thinks Sabrina is a witch and not just because of her name.
The "Bad Luck Cat" leads Sabrina to the discovery of a dead body and it turns out to be Aunt Rowe's deadbeat cousin, Bobby Joe Flowers, he had a list of enemies a mile long and loved the women. Not so good for Aunt Rowe is that she and Bobby fought before his death and now Aunt Rowe has become a number one suspect in his murder. Bobby has claimed to be her brother making Aunt Rowe furious.
Sabrina on on the other hand is in a dilemma, with a appointment with a famous agent to talk about her book and helping prove her aunt Rowe is innocent and attending to her new friend a "Bad Luck Cat" Sabrina names "Hitchcock" who Sabrina can't help but come to love. Hitchcock is on the case along with Sabrina, clawing at the bit to find a killer before Sabrina's luck runs out.
I loved Sabrina from the first page, It's so great to be able to relate to a character and we seem a lot alike with our love for writing and certain "Bad Luck Cats". Sabrina has this determined attitude that I find is also a trait we share. Sabrina is a great amateur sleuth. Hitchcock and Sabrina make a perfect human and feline crime fighting pair and this was a great beginning to a series.
Hitchcock will become a fan favorite with his sneakiness and determination to get out of Sabrina's cottage to find more clues. Kay Finch's writing is fast paced, exciting and the story is engaging. Black Cat Crossing is a fun thrill ride with a "Bad Luck Cat" that becomes Sabrina's good luck charm.
FTC Disclosure Thank you to the publisher and/or author for providing us with a copy of this book for review.This did not influence our thoughts in any way. All the opinions of the book and review are our own and our reviews are honest.
September 1, 2015
Author Kay Finch is the new cat’s meow of cozy mysteries.
A cozy mystery where the protagonist is an aspiring mystery writer and a black cat that is supposed to be bad luck? How was I going to pass on this one? And then, on the very first page there is a coffee shop that plays disco music. Author Kay Finch must have my house bugged!
To say I loved BLACK CAT CROSSING would be an understatement. This first book in the new Bad Luck Cat Mystery series was absolutely purrfection (Oh come on, I had to!).
Sabrina Tate, the above mentioned protagonist, is a fantastic cozy lead. And I adore her Aunt Rowena “Roe”. And Hitchcock the cat is sure to be a favorite among readers. I look forward to reading more about them in future installments.
Ms. Finch has written a book packed with mystery and intrigue. Each chapter brought something new and exciting to the story. All culminating in a surprising reveal that left me both shocked and breathless.
L0ok for the yummy recipes at the back of the book!
A cozy mystery where the protagonist is an aspiring mystery writer and a black cat that is supposed to be bad luck? How was I going to pass on this one? And then, on the very first page there is a coffee shop that plays disco music. Author Kay Finch must have my house bugged!
To say I loved BLACK CAT CROSSING would be an understatement. This first book in the new Bad Luck Cat Mystery series was absolutely purrfection (Oh come on, I had to!).
Sabrina Tate, the above mentioned protagonist, is a fantastic cozy lead. And I adore her Aunt Rowena “Roe”. And Hitchcock the cat is sure to be a favorite among readers. I look forward to reading more about them in future installments.
Ms. Finch has written a book packed with mystery and intrigue. Each chapter brought something new and exciting to the story. All culminating in a surprising reveal that left me both shocked and breathless.
L0ok for the yummy recipes at the back of the book!
September 4, 2015
Black Cat Crossing is the first book in the A Bad Luck Cat Mystery.
Sabrina Tate has quit her job and has moved to Lavender, Texas to take care of her Aunt Rowena, who is recovering from a bad fall. Rowe owns several little cabins that she rents out to vacationers.
Sabrina is is having a cup of coffee at the Hot Stuff Coffee Shop, and working on a book she is writing, when Thomas Cortez, her aunt's handyman, comes in bleeding from his arm. The cut was a result of a black cat taking a swipe at him. He and several other residents of town would like to see the cat out of town. Sabrina doesn't hold with the superstition that black cats are a bad omen. He also tells her that Bobby Joe Flowers, Rowena's cousin and a thorn in her side is coming to town. As Sabrina is heading to her car, she see this black cat resting on her car, it hardly seems vicious to her. That afternoon, Bobby Joe shows up and teills Aunt Rowe that he is infact her half brother and not her cousin. This leads to verbal argument and ends with Rowe leaving a cut on his forehead from her crutch.
Not being able to sleep, Sabrina decides to head to Rowe's and bake some pecan tarts, but forgot that her locks had been changed, she has to turn around and head back to her cabin. Along the way she sees the cat, it waits till she's close and runs. Sabrina decides to follow and is soon at the river and finds Bobby Joe's dead body along the bank.
Sabrina now sets off to clear her aunt's name.
I loved the characters very well developed and believable. Particularly like Aunt Rowena, a bit on the ornery side, But I have to give her thumbs up for feistyness.
Definitely will be looking forward to the next adventures of Sabrina, Aunt Rowena and Hitchcock, the black cat.
Sabrina Tate has quit her job and has moved to Lavender, Texas to take care of her Aunt Rowena, who is recovering from a bad fall. Rowe owns several little cabins that she rents out to vacationers.
Sabrina is is having a cup of coffee at the Hot Stuff Coffee Shop, and working on a book she is writing, when Thomas Cortez, her aunt's handyman, comes in bleeding from his arm. The cut was a result of a black cat taking a swipe at him. He and several other residents of town would like to see the cat out of town. Sabrina doesn't hold with the superstition that black cats are a bad omen. He also tells her that Bobby Joe Flowers, Rowena's cousin and a thorn in her side is coming to town. As Sabrina is heading to her car, she see this black cat resting on her car, it hardly seems vicious to her. That afternoon, Bobby Joe shows up and teills Aunt Rowe that he is infact her half brother and not her cousin. This leads to verbal argument and ends with Rowe leaving a cut on his forehead from her crutch.
Not being able to sleep, Sabrina decides to head to Rowe's and bake some pecan tarts, but forgot that her locks had been changed, she has to turn around and head back to her cabin. Along the way she sees the cat, it waits till she's close and runs. Sabrina decides to follow and is soon at the river and finds Bobby Joe's dead body along the bank.
Sabrina now sets off to clear her aunt's name.
I loved the characters very well developed and believable. Particularly like Aunt Rowena, a bit on the ornery side, But I have to give her thumbs up for feistyness.
Definitely will be looking forward to the next adventures of Sabrina, Aunt Rowena and Hitchcock, the black cat.
August 17, 2015
Debut cozy that grips your attention straight from beginning to end! Sabrina Tate is living with her Aunt Rowe in the small town of Lavender, TX. Hampered by a broken leg, her aunt needs help managing the vacation cottages she owns. Sabrina is an aspiring mystery author and is immediately intrigued by a legend she hears about a black cat locals say brings bad luck. When Sabrina dubs the cat 'Hitchcock', and he slyly leads her to a murder scene on her aunt's property, suspicious experiences and past events began to come to light and possibly merge with present events. A handsome game warden, Luke, seems to be around a lot when Sabrina needs rescuing. Several locals seem rather hostile and secretive, plus those who believe Hitchcock is a jinx want him captured. Murder, lies, fears, and hidden affairs cause plenty of obstacles for the sleuthing Sabrina as she works to prepare a polished manuscript for her new agent amidst all the turmoil surrounding her and her aunt. This black cat has nine lives and a personality that will steadily steal your heart. The characters are interesting, and I look forward to getting to know them better in future stories! Delicious dessert recipes included.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 22, 2021
Ich bin sehr enttäuscht von dem Buch. Die Hauptperson war sehr blass, ebenso die anderen Charaktere. Die Tante, die eigentlich als exzentrisches Sidekick dienen könnte, war so furchtbar unsympathisch und hatte den gesunden Menschenverstand eines Regenwurms, die hat mich richtig aggressiv gemacht. Auch, wie die abergläubischen Leute sich wie ein geifernder Mob auf die arme schwarze Katze einschießen, war einfach nur ätzend. Auch wenn der Mordfall gleich am Anfang des Buches passiert, kommt dann fast 200 Seiten lang kaum Handlung. Und das einzige, was das Buch hätte retten können, die schwarze Katze, kam zu wenig vor. Ich werde die Serie jedenfalls nicht weiter verfolgen.
March 30, 2022
I enjoyed it enough to read it straight through. It wasn’t a Halloween book, just had the black cat connection. Will read another for sure.
Haven’t had much luck with the Halloween reads this year. I just keep finding installments in series I don��t read.
Haven’t had much luck with the Halloween reads this year. I just keep finding installments in series I don��t read.
October 1, 2015
Beautiful cover, right? Oh yeah! You have heard, "Never judge a book by its cover", well in this situation ignore that statement. Go ahead and bet, cause the book is just as good as that awesome cover.
I enjoyed this first book in the Bad Luck Cat Mystery series.
Takes place in Texas, in an interesting little village with a great set of quirky, hot under the collar, solid characters and one awesome, smart, stray black cat who isn't bad luck.
You wont figure out the killer till the very end I am sure, I was totally surprised and did not expect the "whoduner".. Excellent job Kay Finch!!
I enjoyed this first book in the Bad Luck Cat Mystery series.
Takes place in Texas, in an interesting little village with a great set of quirky, hot under the collar, solid characters and one awesome, smart, stray black cat who isn't bad luck.
You wont figure out the killer till the very end I am sure, I was totally surprised and did not expect the "whoduner".. Excellent job Kay Finch!!
September 4, 2017
It is pretty sad that a grown woman who just moved to a small town doesn't have the sense to avoid accusing every other citizen of murder without having any facts or evidence.
October 13, 2018
I enjoyed the character in this cozy mystery. I love she named the black cat Hitchcock.
September 20, 2015
Sabrina Tate moves to the small town of Lavender in Texas to help her aunt with her vacation rental business. Her Aunt Rowe had a terrible accident which left her on crutches, so she needs all the help she can get. Sabrina, also, figures it’s her big chance to finish the novel she’s been working on with the hopes of getting published.
Sabrina is horrified when she discovers that the people of Lavender believe a little black cat is a curse and they intend to trap it. Sabrina doesn’t even want to think of what they will do to the poor thing when they catch it. Then the black cat makes an appearance, leading Sabrina to a dead body. This will not endear him to the rest of the town, but Sabrina intends to protect him…after she learns who killed Bobby Joe Flowers.
She has a personal stake in this murder as Bobby Joe had been family. He is Aunt Rowe's cousin. A hated cousin who Rowe happened to fight with shortly before his death. Naturally, Aunt Rowe is the prime suspect. Sabrina has no intention of sitting quietly on the sidelines waiting for the police to find the killer. The police are focused on making her aunt the killer and aren’t going too much further than that. So, it’s up to Sabrina to investigate.
The timing couldn’t be worse when her best friend, who owns a bookshop, arranges for Sabrina to pitch her story to a top agent. When the agent asks to see the completed manuscript in only two weeks, Sabrina is torn as to what she should do first – investigate the murder or write the book leaving the police to investigate on their own. It’s a no brainer in Sabrina’s eyes…her aunt will always come first. She’s family. Sabrina’s detecting leads her in several directions. With the help of a little black cat, now named Hitchcock by Sabrina, she vows to find the real killer and keep her aunt out of jail.
I’ve been waiting to read this book as soon as I heard about it. Any book with a cat in it has my interest. This book did not disappoint me. I loved every minute of it.
Although we get another heroine sticking her nose in police business, it is believable to me since she is protecting her aunt. The police were turning deaf ears in her direction, leaving her feeling helpless. It says quite a bit about a character that puts her family before her own well being - even before her own career opportunity. Sabrina is an endearing character readers can root for. Aunt Rowe made me laugh…she’s a feisty one who has no intentions of backing down, crutches or not. There isn’t any romance in this, but there is a hint of it for future books.
The story is intricately woven to involve almost everyone in the book. Readers, like Sabrina, were led in several different directions to solve this case. I was led in the wrong direction myself. I never saw the ending coming, but the clues were all there.
The author even tackles the fear people have of black cats. It's not only the people of this fictional story that fears them, but I've heard people in real life do too. They aren't a curse, they are adorable :)
It’s the first book in the “Bad Luck Cat Mystery” series and it’s so much fun getting in on the ground floor of these cozy mystery series. I get to read how it all starts from the beginning. Another thing that won me over - the cat isn’t just a picture on the cover, he actually has a purpose in the story and helps solve the crime. Kay Finch has a new fan in me :) Bring me more Hitchcock!
FTC Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
Sabrina is horrified when she discovers that the people of Lavender believe a little black cat is a curse and they intend to trap it. Sabrina doesn’t even want to think of what they will do to the poor thing when they catch it. Then the black cat makes an appearance, leading Sabrina to a dead body. This will not endear him to the rest of the town, but Sabrina intends to protect him…after she learns who killed Bobby Joe Flowers.
She has a personal stake in this murder as Bobby Joe had been family. He is Aunt Rowe's cousin. A hated cousin who Rowe happened to fight with shortly before his death. Naturally, Aunt Rowe is the prime suspect. Sabrina has no intention of sitting quietly on the sidelines waiting for the police to find the killer. The police are focused on making her aunt the killer and aren’t going too much further than that. So, it’s up to Sabrina to investigate.
The timing couldn’t be worse when her best friend, who owns a bookshop, arranges for Sabrina to pitch her story to a top agent. When the agent asks to see the completed manuscript in only two weeks, Sabrina is torn as to what she should do first – investigate the murder or write the book leaving the police to investigate on their own. It’s a no brainer in Sabrina’s eyes…her aunt will always come first. She’s family. Sabrina’s detecting leads her in several directions. With the help of a little black cat, now named Hitchcock by Sabrina, she vows to find the real killer and keep her aunt out of jail.
I’ve been waiting to read this book as soon as I heard about it. Any book with a cat in it has my interest. This book did not disappoint me. I loved every minute of it.
Although we get another heroine sticking her nose in police business, it is believable to me since she is protecting her aunt. The police were turning deaf ears in her direction, leaving her feeling helpless. It says quite a bit about a character that puts her family before her own well being - even before her own career opportunity. Sabrina is an endearing character readers can root for. Aunt Rowe made me laugh…she’s a feisty one who has no intentions of backing down, crutches or not. There isn’t any romance in this, but there is a hint of it for future books.
The story is intricately woven to involve almost everyone in the book. Readers, like Sabrina, were led in several different directions to solve this case. I was led in the wrong direction myself. I never saw the ending coming, but the clues were all there.
The author even tackles the fear people have of black cats. It's not only the people of this fictional story that fears them, but I've heard people in real life do too. They aren't a curse, they are adorable :)
It’s the first book in the “Bad Luck Cat Mystery” series and it’s so much fun getting in on the ground floor of these cozy mystery series. I get to read how it all starts from the beginning. Another thing that won me over - the cat isn’t just a picture on the cover, he actually has a purpose in the story and helps solve the crime. Kay Finch has a new fan in me :) Bring me more Hitchcock!
FTC Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
September 16, 2015
This is the first book in a brand new series that I settled down very happily in to.
I liked the town of Lavender and enjoyed most of its characters. Sabrina is very down to earth, and I enjoyed reading about the mystery that she was writing. I loved that Aunt Rowe was so fiesty, and said exactly what she thought The person that interested me the most was Twila, and I have to admit that I want very much to know her more.
I have to
concede that I often dislike the victim, which of course is the point. The author drew this victim so well that I was disgusted and wanted to get away from him just after a few paragraphs.
I was hooked from the beginning and recommend this book to all cozy mystery readers!
I liked the town of Lavender and enjoyed most of its characters. Sabrina is very down to earth, and I enjoyed reading about the mystery that she was writing. I loved that Aunt Rowe was so fiesty, and said exactly what she thought The person that interested me the most was Twila, and I have to admit that I want very much to know her more.
I have to
concede that I often dislike the victim, which of course is the point. The author drew this victim so well that I was disgusted and wanted to get away from him just after a few paragraphs.
I was hooked from the beginning and recommend this book to all cozy mystery readers!
September 15, 2015
Sabrina Tate has moved to Lavender, Texas to help her Aunt Rowe with her rental cabins. She is an unpublished author hoping to write her first book. A local legend that El Gato Diablo is unlucky exists. Sabrina becomes fiends with a black cat who she calls Hitchcock. He leads her to a victim in the river. Aunt Rowe becomes a person of of interest in the case. Sabrina learns years earlier that a woman drowned in the same place. Hitchcock is always getting out of her cabin and Sabrina is worried that is enemies will managed to trap him. The case needs an answer before Hitchcock is trapped and the murders are solved. I am looking forward to the next book.
May 24, 2017
I didn't love this book. I found many of the characters annoying, and there didn't seem to be a small town cozy feel which I was expecting. Also, the insistence of many characters that Hitchcock was bad luck because he was a black cat seemed played up and stupid and just annoyed me.
February 2, 2018
In Black Cat Crossing by Kay Finch, Sabrina Tate has moved to Lavender, TX to live on her Aunt Rowena’s large property on which she owns a variety of spaced-out vacation cottages. Her plan has been to write her mystery novel, getting the local bookstore owner TyAnne to critique the book. She hears Thomas Cortez, local resident whom her Aunt Rowe helped bring up, complain about El Gato Diablo, the “bad news cat,” a large black cat that he blames for all the bad luck he encounters. But certain that no black cat will bring bad luck, Sabrina befriends and adopts the cat, naming him Hitchcock. Then, later that night, black sheep of the family, Bobby Joe Flowers, shows up at Aunt Rowe’s house and claims that he has found that he really is the half-brother of Aunt Rowe and thus owns half the land her vacation homes sit on. Furious at the libel against her mother, Aunt Rowe grabs one of her crutches, which she has been using due to a broken leg, and hits the man on the side of the head. Thus, the same night, when Hitchcock leads Sabrina to the river and she finds the dead body of Bobby Joe, eyes turn to Aunt Rowe, especially that of Deputy Rosales.
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at Fangirl Nation
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at Fangirl Nation
October 20, 2022
Sabrina Tate is writing a mystery, or at least she’s trying to write her first novel. When not writing, she’s helping out her aunt, Rowena Flowers, who owns the Around-the-World Cottages vacation rentals.
Aunt Rowe is a ball of energy, even with a broken leg, and entirely dismissive of concerns that she’s the prime suspect in her cousin’s murder. Hitchcock, the black cat or the “Bad Luck Cat,” as the townspeople call him, is always on the outside of Sabrina’s cabin even when she thinks she’s locked him safely inside.
This is the purr-fect cozy to read during the month when keeping black cats safe is on everyone’s mind. You’ll laugh and have a great time in Lavender, Texas.
If you can’t sleep at night and wish to bake like Sabrina on her sleepless nights, you’ll be excited to discover some of her mouthwatering recipes at the end of the story. Or, there’s always tomorrow if you’re not writing a novel or reading the next book in the series. I’ll be reading, so the kitchen is all yours.
Aunt Rowe is a ball of energy, even with a broken leg, and entirely dismissive of concerns that she’s the prime suspect in her cousin’s murder. Hitchcock, the black cat or the “Bad Luck Cat,” as the townspeople call him, is always on the outside of Sabrina’s cabin even when she thinks she’s locked him safely inside.
This is the purr-fect cozy to read during the month when keeping black cats safe is on everyone’s mind. You’ll laugh and have a great time in Lavender, Texas.
If you can’t sleep at night and wish to bake like Sabrina on her sleepless nights, you’ll be excited to discover some of her mouthwatering recipes at the end of the story. Or, there’s always tomorrow if you’re not writing a novel or reading the next book in the series. I’ll be reading, so the kitchen is all yours.
December 18, 2021
I totally enjoyed this first in the series. Sabrina comes to help her Aunt Rowe who has injured herself. When Aunt Rowe's cousin turns up dead after a confrontation with her aunt, Sabrina tries to find answers.
I love the characters and setting. I also enjoyed how everyone thinks the black cat in this story in jinxed but it actually seems to help find answers. The mystery was good and kept me guessing with plenty of people who had issues with the deceased.
I will definitely continue on with this series.
I love the characters and setting. I also enjoyed how everyone thinks the black cat in this story in jinxed but it actually seems to help find answers. The mystery was good and kept me guessing with plenty of people who had issues with the deceased.
I will definitely continue on with this series.
August 26, 2017
A cozy mystery that includes a black cat- my favourite type of cozy.
I enjoyed this book because the plot was solid, the characters varied, and the setting interesting. And did I mention there was a black cat? And that the protagonist railed against superstition against black cats throughout this book?
I look forward to reading more books from this series.
I enjoyed this book because the plot was solid, the characters varied, and the setting interesting. And did I mention there was a black cat? And that the protagonist railed against superstition against black cats throughout this book?
I look forward to reading more books from this series.
July 17, 2019
Cute mystery involving a "bad luck" black cat.
January 16, 2016
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Sabrina Tate, an aspiring author, comes to Lavender, Texas to help her Aunt Rowe take care of her rental cabins while her broken leg heals and to finally get the book out of head and down in print. She quickly learns about a Bad Luck Cat in the area. She is surprised when a black cat is right outside her cabin door, it has to be the same cat. She can’t help but follow the feline and wishes she hadn’t when he leads her right to a dead body. The body of Bobby Joe Flowers, her Aunt Rowe’s conniving cousin who had just come back to town. The body of a man her Aunt Rowe argued with earlier. She knows this is going to be bad, she knows her aunt his going to be the number one suspect. Since the cat led her to the body maybe he can lead her to the killer. How is she ever going to get her book written if she has to solve a murder case while the police have their sights set on Aunt Rowe?
I liked Sabrina right away. She does not believe there is any such thing as a Bad Luck Cat, in fact she is going to do everything she can to save him from the superstitious folks of Lavender. As a true cat lover I was totally rooting for the kitty she quickly names Hitchcock.
The author sets a very fast pace from the first page. Sabrina has her hands full – saving Hitchcock, writing her book, helping with the cabins, solving a murder and maybe an old murder too. Her friend even sets her up with a meeting with an agent when she barely has written 3 chapters let alone a whole book.
Writing the first book in a series is hard because all the characters need to be introduced and they have to be fleshed out enough so the reader can engage with them. The author also has to give us a good credible mystery that we cozy readers can try to solve before the protagonist. Kay Finch does a good job with this, but at times is was just a little too much. Sabrina just had so much going on. At times I wanted to jump into the book and tell Sabrina’s friend, Tyanne, to slow down. Seriously I get Sabrina may need a nudge to get going on her book but after she found a body on her aunt’s property and her aunt being questioned by police it was time to back off and reschedule the meeting. I am surprised Sabrina held it all together, a normal person would have crumbled with all the weight upon their shoulders.
With that said the mystery was good and had great twists and was very entertaining. I was totally surprised by how things played out. Hitchcock and Sabrina make a great team and I am looking forward to seeing what drama they get themselves wrapped up in next.
September 9, 2015
Small town atmosphere, quirky characters, superstitions, and a murder come together smoothly in author Kay Finch’s BLACK CAT CROSSING.
This first installment in Finch’s Bad Luck Cat Mystery series takes off on a tantalizing track. Readers get to know protagonist Sabrina Tate and her Aunt Rowe as the roller coast ride of suspense and mystery begins.
Sabrina moves to Lavender, Texas, to help her aunt manage her rental business and hopefully give herself inspiration to finish her first novel. Sabrina encounters a local black cat everyone believes is a jinx, but who turns out to be most helpful to her.
When her aunt’s cousin, Bobby Joe Flowers, is found dead, Sabrina and her new sidekick have to overcome all obstacles to find the real killer. Seems her aunt is a major suspect despite a long list of enemies Bobby Joe had.
Finch has created interesting characters and placed them in a charming setting. Her rich descriptions draws readers in and holds them entranced until the very end.
A good blend of suspense, mystery, superstition, wit and romance takes this series in an enjoyable direction. The tasty recipes are an added bonus.
Some people just seem to have a knack for getting along with animals and Finch has a knack for writing a captivating mystery.
FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.
This first installment in Finch’s Bad Luck Cat Mystery series takes off on a tantalizing track. Readers get to know protagonist Sabrina Tate and her Aunt Rowe as the roller coast ride of suspense and mystery begins.
Sabrina moves to Lavender, Texas, to help her aunt manage her rental business and hopefully give herself inspiration to finish her first novel. Sabrina encounters a local black cat everyone believes is a jinx, but who turns out to be most helpful to her.
When her aunt’s cousin, Bobby Joe Flowers, is found dead, Sabrina and her new sidekick have to overcome all obstacles to find the real killer. Seems her aunt is a major suspect despite a long list of enemies Bobby Joe had.
Finch has created interesting characters and placed them in a charming setting. Her rich descriptions draws readers in and holds them entranced until the very end.
A good blend of suspense, mystery, superstition, wit and romance takes this series in an enjoyable direction. The tasty recipes are an added bonus.
Some people just seem to have a knack for getting along with animals and Finch has a knack for writing a captivating mystery.
FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.
December 23, 2015
"We have to help the police" is the first reason I didn't rate this book higher. The second reason: if you find a secret hidey-hole in your house with something in it, would you forget all about it just a few hours later? I wouldn't and I didn't when Sabrina found hers.
Wordier review: http://jenn.booklikes.com/post/125929...
Wordier review: http://jenn.booklikes.com/post/125929...
September 9, 2015
From the first page, I was delighted with the voice and the excellent writing, and I enjoyed the characters and the description of the setting. A clever and charming cozy-- and you don't even have to like black cats to appreciate it!
September 23, 2015
Love the sleuth and other human characters, and love Hitchcock the cat! The mystery kept me guessing to the end, too! Another one for your shelf!
August 15, 2020
Completion Post
Week 3 - California
Black Cat Crossing by Kay Finch
3 Stars
Sabrina moves to Lavender, Texas to write her book and help manage her aunt's vacation cottages while her aunt recuperates from a broken leg. She finds out that there is a black cat around town who all the locals think is bad luck and who leads her to a murder victim who happens to be her aunts trouble making cousin whom she argued with before he died.
I enjoyed the book at the beginning and liked the MC but it just became rather boring and repetitive after a while and I put off finishing it as it didn't really keep my attention. Sabrina started to annoy me after a while. She wasn't very polite to the people she was trying to question and ended up sounding very spoilt. There wasn't enough of the cat (Hitchcock - such a cute name!). Luke was very endearing and I wanted more of him in the book. Sabrina was so contradictory too first wanting to write her book but needing to solve the mystery to clear her aunt's name.
As I gave this 3 stars I may read the next book if I found it in the library or free on Kindle but I won't be in a rush to read it.
Week 3 - California
Black Cat Crossing by Kay Finch
3 Stars
Sabrina moves to Lavender, Texas to write her book and help manage her aunt's vacation cottages while her aunt recuperates from a broken leg. She finds out that there is a black cat around town who all the locals think is bad luck and who leads her to a murder victim who happens to be her aunts trouble making cousin whom she argued with before he died.
I enjoyed the book at the beginning and liked the MC but it just became rather boring and repetitive after a while and I put off finishing it as it didn't really keep my attention. Sabrina started to annoy me after a while. She wasn't very polite to the people she was trying to question and ended up sounding very spoilt. There wasn't enough of the cat (Hitchcock - such a cute name!). Luke was very endearing and I wanted more of him in the book. Sabrina was so contradictory too first wanting to write her book but needing to solve the mystery to clear her aunt's name.
As I gave this 3 stars I may read the next book if I found it in the library or free on Kindle but I won't be in a rush to read it.
September 14, 2020
I’ve been giving out 5 stars a lot, but this I wish I could give even more. First, an extra star for naming the black cat Hitchcock. Second, extra plus for having the main character, Sabrina, be a budding author. Someone trying to make a go at writing after leaving other chapters of her life behind. Hints of romance on multiple fronts was a nice touch. The adversarial role of a deputy worked out well. The plot is solid, the supporting characters are an interesting mix, and the descriptions of the town and Sabrina’s writing struggles are great. I was excited for this trip to Texas. I was very glad I had time to read, because I couldn’t put it down and finished it in one day. A fun cozy and a really good start to what I imagine will be quite an enjoyable series.
October 21, 2017
The characters are fun, and nobody does Southern charm like Amy Rubinate, but the mystery was muddled (not lots of red herrings clever, just kind of all over the place, with the killer coming out of left field).
November 27, 2019
2 1/2 stars. The MC comes off a little too scattered brain and not up to being an amateur detective. She doesn't really have a right to be upset that people won't talk to her. That is completely expected. But I did love the cat. Overall, it was ok.
February 2, 2018
This very good debut cozy mystery kept me guessing all the way to the end. Very well plotted, with interesting and likable characters (except for the bad ones, of course).
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