When the Cat's Away

Proverbial Crime #2

by Dane McCaslin

Mystery writer Caro Layton-Browning has a bad case of writer's block and boredom—a very dangerous combination. Looking for something to distract her, she pays a visit to her newest neighbor, Meredith Holmes, the proprietor of a kitschy bookstore called Murder by the Book. When Meredith confides in Caro concerning an on-going battle with the president of the Seneca Meadows Chamber of Commerce, Caro jumps at the chance to liven things up a bit. Vowing to give "the dragon lady," Lucia Scarantelli, a piece of her mind, Caro takes Meredith downtown to confront the issue head-on.

Apparently someone else had the same idea. When Caro literally stumbles over the body of a very dead Lucia, she becomes determined to find out who did it—before hubby, Gregory, returns from a business trip to England. Teaming up with Meredith, Caro starts an investigation that uncovers a stolen goods ring which stretches from New York City to Seneca Meadows.

With just enough information to make her a threat to the bad guys, Caro begins to worry that this could be her last case...and possibly the end of her life.

Proverbial Crime Mysteries:
A Bird in the Hand – book #1
The Pen is Mightier – short story in the "Killer Beach Reads" collection
When the Cat's Away – book #2

What people are saying about Dane McCaslin's books:

"A BIRD IN THE HAND has delightful characters, a cozy setting, and a clever plot...what more could you want from a mystery?"
~ Gemma Halliday, New York Times bestselling mystery author

"For those of you who enjoy cozy mysteries, this one is a winner."

"This is a great mystery with unexpected twists, turns and surprises."

"So good I absolutely couldn't put it down."

"This is a delightful book to snuggle up with on a weekend! The characters come to life with plot twists, humor, and suspense. It totally captured me and left me wanting more!"

Genres: Cozy Mystery

187 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 17, 2016

About the author

When my friends were reading the Nancy Drew books, I was already hooked on the Grand Dame of Mysteries! Agatha Christie's books enthralled me, and following Hercule Poirot or Jane Marple as they solved mystery after mystery was my cup of tea.

It's no wonder that I write cozy mysteries myself now, and being retired from a two decades plus career as a high school and junior college English teacher gives me time to create more murder and mayhem...on paper, of course.

Reviews

[Sandy Bartles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read in this series and I truly enjoyed it. Caro is a cozy mystery writer who likes to solve murders, preferably when her husband, Gregory, solicitor and professor of international law at the local university, is out of town. When her friend Merry tells her about the truly terrible and mean president of the Seneca Meadows Chamber of Commerce, they go to confront her and find her dead. The hunt is on to find the murderer before Gregory gets home from a business trip to England. I enjoyed how the author keeps these two ladies running around eating wonderful desserts while trying to find the killer, and making me crave these same desserts. If the author owned her own bakery, she would definitely be in the money! I loved the snits Trixie, Caro's dachshund, would get into. I would love to see Gregory a bit more in future books.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

A great cozy with great stories and great characters I'm glad I found Dane McCaslins books and I can't wait till the next one

[Nancy Silverman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delicious. I can’t think of a better way to describe this cozy with delightfully warm characters and a plot that, like that first bite of chocolate cake, you can’t put down. This is Dane McCaslin’s second book in her Proverbial Crime Mystery Series and every bit as delectable as the first. A case of writer’s block has mystery writer Caro Layton-Browning, up for taking a break, and when she opts for coffee with a neighbor the trouble begins. An amusing page-turner with surprising plot twists and engaging solutions that will leave cozy fans ready for the next bite at her series.

[JigsawGirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read in this series. I really liked Caro's friend, Merry. The "who" in the "whodunit" was not obvious, which always makes the mystery better. The supporting characters are fun, with their own very distinctive personalities. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, this one is worth a try.

One thing I really liked about this book is that Caro and Merry were always eating.

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dynamic Duo! Caro & Merry are hilarious as they try to solve this case of whodunit. There's an abundance of suspect possibilities, mood swings, coffee & pastries which clouds their judgment somewhat. There are several random, funny (LOL) lines which help entertain as the story progresses...one of my favorites "..I gave it to her anyways--right upside her head."

[Becky Winham · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mice will play

Really enjoyed this one. I read so many mysteries that I usually have them figured out very quickly. This one took a while. Just waiting for the next Proverbial Crime Mystery.

[Melissa G · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNS (did not start) I could not get past chapter 2 in the 1st book. Bought the first 3 books in the series. I did not like the character or the style of writing.