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A Bad Luck Cat Mystery #3
The Black Cat Sees His Shadow
The town of Lavender, Texas is buzzing with tourists, and local businesses are pulling out all the stops for the annual Pumpkin Days Festival. On the eve of opening day, Sabrina comes face-to-face with her doppelg�nger, Tia Hartwell, a caricature artist at the festival. The similarities between the two women are striking, including their matching black cats. Sabrina learns that her new twin Tia has an enemy: bad-tempered jewelry vendor Calvin Fisher. When Fisher is found slumped over dead in his pickup, Tia tops the suspect list. With the help of her feline sidekick, Sabrina must clear her new look-alike friend before she finds herself in a deadly case of double jeopardy.
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 6, 2017
45 people are currently reading
393 people want to read
About the author
Kay Finch
8 books165 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 64 reviews
June 7, 2017
It’s that time of year in Lavender, Texas. It’s the Pumpkin Day Festival. The town is quickly filling up with vendors and tourists alike. Sabrina Tate wonders if she will have time to finish working on her novel, but her progress comes to a halt when one of the vendors, Calvin Fisher, verbally attacks and threatens her. She’s totally puzzled since she never met the man before, but he sure seemed to think he knew her.
It all became clear when she met one of the other vendors. They say everyone has a twin. Sabrina found hers in Tia Hartwell. She’s the spitting image of Sabrina. In fact even her black cat, Hitchcock, found his. Tia has a black cat and his name is Merlin. No wonder Calvin mistook her for Tia. Suddenly it made sense.
Then, Hitchcock and Sabrina stumble upon Calvin’s body dead in his truck. The number one suspect is Tia, but Sabrina isn’t buying it. Tia is way too nice to be a killer. Sabrina throws herself into the investigation and into danger. So much for concentrating on her writing.
This is the third book in the series. I read the first one and still have to go back to read the second, but I really enjoyed this. It didn’t matter if I missed a book since the mystery is contained in this book and isn’t a carry over from one book to the next.
Sabrina is a strong character who doesn’t back down. She is quite determined to investigate, despite the local police not being too happy about it. Her loyalty to Tia is admirable, especially since she just met her. I, also, loved how she stood up for black cats everywhere. They are not bad luck at all!
Hitchcock, of course, is my favorite character. What a loveable kitty sleuth!
The storyline moved along at a fast pace. I kind of suspected who could be behind the murder but I wasn’t sure how all the pieces fit into place. There were a few surprises along the way.
Kay Finch captured kitty behavior perfectly and knows how to write an intriguing and captivating mystery.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
It all became clear when she met one of the other vendors. They say everyone has a twin. Sabrina found hers in Tia Hartwell. She’s the spitting image of Sabrina. In fact even her black cat, Hitchcock, found his. Tia has a black cat and his name is Merlin. No wonder Calvin mistook her for Tia. Suddenly it made sense.
Then, Hitchcock and Sabrina stumble upon Calvin’s body dead in his truck. The number one suspect is Tia, but Sabrina isn’t buying it. Tia is way too nice to be a killer. Sabrina throws herself into the investigation and into danger. So much for concentrating on her writing.
This is the third book in the series. I read the first one and still have to go back to read the second, but I really enjoyed this. It didn’t matter if I missed a book since the mystery is contained in this book and isn’t a carry over from one book to the next.
Sabrina is a strong character who doesn’t back down. She is quite determined to investigate, despite the local police not being too happy about it. Her loyalty to Tia is admirable, especially since she just met her. I, also, loved how she stood up for black cats everywhere. They are not bad luck at all!
Hitchcock, of course, is my favorite character. What a loveable kitty sleuth!
The storyline moved along at a fast pace. I kind of suspected who could be behind the murder but I wasn’t sure how all the pieces fit into place. There were a few surprises along the way.
Kay Finch captured kitty behavior perfectly and knows how to write an intriguing and captivating mystery.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
June 11, 2017
A light and refreshing cozy mystery featuring Hitchcock, a black miscellaneous cat. He is an escape artist and managed to follow Sabrina Tate as she goes about her business. Sabrina is an also inspiring author who is planning on spending much time at the Pumpkin Festival. She was aghast when she meets Tia Hartwell who looks just like Sabrina. Tia even has a black cat, Merlin that can be mistaken for Hitchcock. Tia has endured the angry of a fellow vendor, Calvin Fisher. There are enough turns in the story as Calvin is found murder and Tia the prime suspect. As Sabrina begins to search for answers in order to clear Tia. Merlin and Hitchcock become good friends and their antics add to the story. Aunt Rowe determined to fire pumpkins from a canyon in spite of the danger to the public. Sabrina finds answers before the fair closed and everyone dispersed. Recipes mention in the book are included. I recommend this book.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Berkeley Publishing through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Berkeley Publishing through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.
June 17, 2017
http://openbooksociety.com/article/th...
The Black Cat Sees His Shadow
A Bad Luck Cat Mystery, #3
By Kay Finch
ISBN 9780425275269
kayfinch.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
Mystery novelist Sabrina Tate and her cat, Hitchcock, set out to catch a conniving killer in the next Bad Luck Cat mystery from the author of The Black Cat Knocks on Wood and Black Cat Crossing…
The town of Lavender, Texas is buzzing with tourists, and local businesses are pulling out all the stops for the annual Pumpkin Days Festival. On the eve of opening day, Sabrina comes face-to-face with her doppelganger, Tia Hartwell, a caricature artist at the festival. The similarities between the two women are striking, including their matching black cats.
Sabrina learns that her new twin Tia has an enemy: bad-tempered jewelry vendor Calvin Fisher. When Fisher is found slumped over dead in his pickup, Tia tops the suspect list. With the help of her feline sidekick, Sabrina must clear her new look-alike friend before she finds herself in a deadly case of double jeopardy. (Goodreads)
Review:
I absolutely love this intriguing third offering in the Bad Luck Cat Mystery series! What a treat, to be back in Lavender, Texas with Sabrina and Hitchcock! This time we are stunned to meet – they have a double! Hitchcock is such a cool cat; he has been known to “hitchhike” into town in vehicles of unsuspecting tourists.
Pumpkin Days Festival is beginning in Lavender, bringing many vendors and tourists. Aunt Rowe’s “Around the World Cottages” are fully booked, and she has an impressive spread of desserts, snacks, and beverages for vendors staying at the cottages. There are so many distractions that it is no wonder Sabrina finds it challenging to work every day on her second novel while awaiting sale of the first.
One of the first surprises about the Festival is Tia, a vendor who looks almost exactly like Sabrina – right down to owning a black cat named Merlin! Tia also has a young son, Damon. Another surprise is the chairman of the festival, Herr Schmidt, who has rules about everything, including more rules. And while there isn’t a rule about it, he is trying to tell Aunt Rowe that she can’t fire off a pumpkin cannon during the festivities. He also doesn’t want to allow Tia to trade vendor spaces with another seller, Calvin Fisher. He has threatened her, hates her son and their cat, and doesn’t want her booth anywhere near him.
Even though It has been unsettling to see someone who looks like her, Sabrina hopes to get to know Tia during the festival. Especially when Tia is accused of Fisher’s murder, who Sabrina has the bad luck of finding dead while trying to catch Hitchcock. She doesn’t believe that Tia killed him and wants to help.
The week just keeps getting better! Gabe, another vendor, seems to be stalking Sabrina. She then has an unscheduled visit from her mother and stepfather. Her mother sees Lavender as a backwater town and never comes to visit without an agenda. Sabrina wants to keep the guy she is dating from meeting her family, but Luke, a game warden, wants to meet her mother and stepfather. Who has time to write with all this going on?
The characters in this tail…er, tale…are very eclectic! Sabrina is three dimensional; she and Hitchcock could step off the pages and into any pumpkin festival or cottage court. Aunt Rowe and Tyanne, Sabrina’s best friend, are probably next best defined. Some vendors travel from one event to another throughout the year, their sales providing their primary income. Several could easily be considered delightfully eccentric, and a couple downright creepy. This wide range of characters provides a huge suspect base, and Sabrina sees herself as helping Sheriff Crawford, who is sweet on her aunt, solve the murder before the festival ends.
There is much light hearted wit and banter among those in Lavender. The younger people such as Sabrina and Tyanne and Tyanne’s loyal staff add energy to the town’s activities. Aunt Rowe and her other senior friends act younger than those in their 20’s and 30’s sometimes! I like Sabrina and Hitchcock best, possibly because we see everything through Sabrina’s eyes and I do adore cats with personality plus! Plot twists and turns continued to surprise this reader, and the real bad guy(s)/ gal(s) was truly a mystery to me. Only in Lavender could the post-festival dismantling be as explosive as the firework show! Only Hitchcock and his shadow, Merlin, could be credited with the final outcome – with surprising bad guys/ gals – getting their due reward. Oh, and Sabrina’s mother? She has a few surprises of her own! I highly recommend The Black Cat Sees His Shadow to those who love cats, the Texas hill country, well-written cozy mysteries and their authors. This ride is too much fun to miss!
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*
The Black Cat Sees His Shadow
A Bad Luck Cat Mystery, #3
By Kay Finch
ISBN 9780425275269
kayfinch.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
Mystery novelist Sabrina Tate and her cat, Hitchcock, set out to catch a conniving killer in the next Bad Luck Cat mystery from the author of The Black Cat Knocks on Wood and Black Cat Crossing…
The town of Lavender, Texas is buzzing with tourists, and local businesses are pulling out all the stops for the annual Pumpkin Days Festival. On the eve of opening day, Sabrina comes face-to-face with her doppelganger, Tia Hartwell, a caricature artist at the festival. The similarities between the two women are striking, including their matching black cats.
Sabrina learns that her new twin Tia has an enemy: bad-tempered jewelry vendor Calvin Fisher. When Fisher is found slumped over dead in his pickup, Tia tops the suspect list. With the help of her feline sidekick, Sabrina must clear her new look-alike friend before she finds herself in a deadly case of double jeopardy. (Goodreads)
Review:
I absolutely love this intriguing third offering in the Bad Luck Cat Mystery series! What a treat, to be back in Lavender, Texas with Sabrina and Hitchcock! This time we are stunned to meet – they have a double! Hitchcock is such a cool cat; he has been known to “hitchhike” into town in vehicles of unsuspecting tourists.
Pumpkin Days Festival is beginning in Lavender, bringing many vendors and tourists. Aunt Rowe’s “Around the World Cottages” are fully booked, and she has an impressive spread of desserts, snacks, and beverages for vendors staying at the cottages. There are so many distractions that it is no wonder Sabrina finds it challenging to work every day on her second novel while awaiting sale of the first.
One of the first surprises about the Festival is Tia, a vendor who looks almost exactly like Sabrina – right down to owning a black cat named Merlin! Tia also has a young son, Damon. Another surprise is the chairman of the festival, Herr Schmidt, who has rules about everything, including more rules. And while there isn’t a rule about it, he is trying to tell Aunt Rowe that she can’t fire off a pumpkin cannon during the festivities. He also doesn’t want to allow Tia to trade vendor spaces with another seller, Calvin Fisher. He has threatened her, hates her son and their cat, and doesn’t want her booth anywhere near him.
Even though It has been unsettling to see someone who looks like her, Sabrina hopes to get to know Tia during the festival. Especially when Tia is accused of Fisher’s murder, who Sabrina has the bad luck of finding dead while trying to catch Hitchcock. She doesn’t believe that Tia killed him and wants to help.
The week just keeps getting better! Gabe, another vendor, seems to be stalking Sabrina. She then has an unscheduled visit from her mother and stepfather. Her mother sees Lavender as a backwater town and never comes to visit without an agenda. Sabrina wants to keep the guy she is dating from meeting her family, but Luke, a game warden, wants to meet her mother and stepfather. Who has time to write with all this going on?
The characters in this tail…er, tale…are very eclectic! Sabrina is three dimensional; she and Hitchcock could step off the pages and into any pumpkin festival or cottage court. Aunt Rowe and Tyanne, Sabrina’s best friend, are probably next best defined. Some vendors travel from one event to another throughout the year, their sales providing their primary income. Several could easily be considered delightfully eccentric, and a couple downright creepy. This wide range of characters provides a huge suspect base, and Sabrina sees herself as helping Sheriff Crawford, who is sweet on her aunt, solve the murder before the festival ends.
There is much light hearted wit and banter among those in Lavender. The younger people such as Sabrina and Tyanne and Tyanne’s loyal staff add energy to the town’s activities. Aunt Rowe and her other senior friends act younger than those in their 20’s and 30’s sometimes! I like Sabrina and Hitchcock best, possibly because we see everything through Sabrina’s eyes and I do adore cats with personality plus! Plot twists and turns continued to surprise this reader, and the real bad guy(s)/ gal(s) was truly a mystery to me. Only in Lavender could the post-festival dismantling be as explosive as the firework show! Only Hitchcock and his shadow, Merlin, could be credited with the final outcome – with surprising bad guys/ gals – getting their due reward. Oh, and Sabrina’s mother? She has a few surprises of her own! I highly recommend The Black Cat Sees His Shadow to those who love cats, the Texas hill country, well-written cozy mysteries and their authors. This ride is too much fun to miss!
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*
June 6, 2017
Murderous bad luck may follow the characters in The Bad Luck Cat Mysteries, but there’s only good luck for anyone reading it!
Many authors have an enviable talent of making words flow across the page. Each word and sentence from chapter to chapter blending flawlessly to form a story so captivating you never want it to end. THE BLACK CAT SEES HIS SHADOW is just such a book, and Kay Finch just such an author. Having enjoyed the first two books in this series, I was excited to finally have this installment in my hands. It was totally worth the wait!
I have liked protagonist Sabrina Tate and her “bad luck” black cat, Hitchcock since first reading them in, BLACK CAT CROSSING. Oh, and Aunt Roe! I just love Aunt Roe! They’re great characters, and it’s been wonderful watching them grow throughout the three books.
In THE BLACK CAT SEES HIS SHADOW, author Finch introduces us to Sabrina and Hitchcock’s “twins”, Tia and Merlin. What an interesting way to shake a story up! I’ve seen the whole “it was my twin” thing done before (mostly on soaps), but Kay Finch’s use and handling of the twin characters was quite unique in the way she wrote them. Talk about adding mayhem to a mystery!
All this and recipes too! Make sure to look for them in the back of the book.
THE BLACK SEES HIS SHADOW was an all-around great book. The twin twist, the mystery, every aspect of this story was well done, and simply made for a great read. The best in the Bad Luck Cat Mysteries so far!
Many authors have an enviable talent of making words flow across the page. Each word and sentence from chapter to chapter blending flawlessly to form a story so captivating you never want it to end. THE BLACK CAT SEES HIS SHADOW is just such a book, and Kay Finch just such an author. Having enjoyed the first two books in this series, I was excited to finally have this installment in my hands. It was totally worth the wait!
I have liked protagonist Sabrina Tate and her “bad luck” black cat, Hitchcock since first reading them in, BLACK CAT CROSSING. Oh, and Aunt Roe! I just love Aunt Roe! They’re great characters, and it’s been wonderful watching them grow throughout the three books.
In THE BLACK CAT SEES HIS SHADOW, author Finch introduces us to Sabrina and Hitchcock’s “twins”, Tia and Merlin. What an interesting way to shake a story up! I’ve seen the whole “it was my twin” thing done before (mostly on soaps), but Kay Finch’s use and handling of the twin characters was quite unique in the way she wrote them. Talk about adding mayhem to a mystery!
All this and recipes too! Make sure to look for them in the back of the book.
THE BLACK SEES HIS SHADOW was an all-around great book. The twin twist, the mystery, every aspect of this story was well done, and simply made for a great read. The best in the Bad Luck Cat Mysteries so far!
October 23, 2017
America has changed Halloween in this country from dull boring night to a fun one.That's OK but why are folk laws too.
In the UK a black cat was a witches familiar & was classed as very good luck I have two for that very reason.But not in American they are classed as evil devil's spawn & what America says goes I worry if America said go naked on Monday would we do it.But this book also goes prove another point how CRAZY Americans are who ever heard of a Pumpkin Canon (let's hope never catch on in the UK) that fires huge Pumpkins across fairs rather like human can ball at circus shows.But with Pumpkin squashes instead talk about dangerous mad & very wasteful of good Pumpkin that could be made into a delicious pie & served with cream.
Oh and Merlin is Hitchcock's shadow.
In the UK a black cat was a witches familiar & was classed as very good luck I have two for that very reason.But not in American they are classed as evil devil's spawn & what America says goes I worry if America said go naked on Monday would we do it.But this book also goes prove another point how CRAZY Americans are who ever heard of a Pumpkin Canon (let's hope never catch on in the UK) that fires huge Pumpkins across fairs rather like human can ball at circus shows.But with Pumpkin squashes instead talk about dangerous mad & very wasteful of good Pumpkin that could be made into a delicious pie & served with cream.
Oh and Merlin is Hitchcock's shadow.
May 14, 2018
My third visit with Hitchcock, the black cat, his owner; Sabrina the wanna-be writer and Lavender, Texas with the continuing cast of characters was entertaining! Both Sabrina and Hitchcock have doubles that they meet at the fair and become friends. I hope to see this family again in future books in the series. Speaking of future books, I can't wait until the fourth book in the series is available!
June 11, 2017
Altro bel libro. Fino alla fine non ho capito chi fosse il colpevole, forse perché c'erano troppe possibilità. Il libro è scritto bene, le pagine scorrono via che è un piacere. Visto che è il terzo libro della serie e visto il finale, temo per il proseguimento della serie, ma spero di sbagliarmi...
February 20, 2023
I am so enjoying the antics of the Bad Luck Cat (who is absolutely not bad luck!) and his human, Sabrina. This one makes excellent use of all the great things about the fall including a small town fair and a pumpkin cannon courtesy of Sabrina's eccentric great aunt. Solid mystery, clever amateur investigations (though this time round Sabrina kept some clues to herself in stead of sharing with the sheriff. Tsk. Tsk.) I'm excited to continue on with the series though I can't find any more on audible. Will have to hunt down some paperbacks, I guess.
July 30, 2017
Fell in love with a new series
I've seen this series advertised many times and I finally decided to give it a try.
I absolutely loved this story. Sabrina and Hitchcock are a great pair and I loved reading about the small town of Lavender.
I've seen this series advertised many times and I finally decided to give it a try.
I absolutely loved this story. Sabrina and Hitchcock are a great pair and I loved reading about the small town of Lavender.
November 10, 2017
Another great book in a series I love! I thoroughly enjoyed Sabrina and Hitchcock's latest adventures and can't wait to read more of this series.
March 30, 2022
I find this series just OK but good enough to keep reading. Had a fall/harvest theme.
August 17, 2017
Sabrina lives in Lavender Texas and the town is filled with tourists for a fall event. Sabrina meets a woman who looks just like her with a black cat just like hers. The woman has a enemy another vendor at the fair, when he is found dead the woman is blamed. Sabrina doesn't think she did it so looks for the real murderer. The ending of the story wasn't what I wanted to read but over all the book was good.
October 2, 2017
Definitely a fun series.
October 29, 2017
Three stars and ½
August 15, 2018
Hitchcock the Black Cat and Sabrina are still entertaining a reader with their mysteries! The doppelgänger twist in this tale added an interesting note.
May 17, 2020
A cozy read and part of a series. My mom sent me this one, so I hadn’t read any of the previous books; luckily, this books was fine as a stand-alone book.
August 14, 2017
I'm really enjoying the Bad Luck Cat Mystery Series. This book was a great addition! I loved reading about Sabrina and Hitchcock again. In this one, Sabrina gains a doppelgänger, Tia, whom she has to clear as a murder suspect. I enjoyed the storyline and the banter between characters. As usual, Hitchcock was the best part of the story! Great characters, an interesting storyline, and a fun small-town setting made this a great one!
March 15, 2024
Sabrina has resigned from her job as a PA in a Houston law firm to move to her Aunt Rowe's Around-the-World cottages in Lavender, Texas. Her time is spent working on her mystery novel and hanging out with her cat, Hitchcock. The local pumpkin festival is in full swing and the cottages are rented out to vendors specializing in deep-fried bacon, skin care, good luck charms, and jewelry, among others. When the jewelry vendor is murdered, Sabrina is determined to find the killer. After all, she is the one that discovered the body and she is worried that a new friend--who looks enough like Sabrina to be her sister--will be accused of the crime. The mystery is average, with lots of suspects but the culprit pretty obvious from early on.
Because cozies often have pretty similar plots, the attraction of the books frequently depends on the likability of the characters and the appeal of the setting. Here, both of these are fine, but not my favorite. Sabrina left her job to become a writer, but it seems like she really doesn't enjoy writing. Instead, her real passions seem to be baking and sleuthing. Luckily, the local sheriff encourages her to investigate the crime because he wants to court Sabrina's aunt. Sabrina has a challenging relationship with her mother and would prefer if she would just go away. Although there is a best friend, she only seems interested in Sabrina's writing. Maybe that is because Sabrina puts her friend in a dangerous situation when she takes her on a "stakeout." Sabrina also has a new boyfriend, who is a park ranger, but their relationship is pretty bland.
While the book overall is fine, there was one aspect that I definitely did not enjoy. A number of the women are described in quite negative terms. For example, there is a deputy in the town who is so jealous of Sabrina's relationship with the park ranger that she is continually trying to pin crimes on Sabrina to get her out of the way. Bleh. There are some humorous moments involving Aunt Rowe and Hitchcock is a great cat, but those were really the only highlights. This is my third read in this series and I think will pass on any future books.
Because cozies often have pretty similar plots, the attraction of the books frequently depends on the likability of the characters and the appeal of the setting. Here, both of these are fine, but not my favorite. Sabrina left her job to become a writer, but it seems like she really doesn't enjoy writing. Instead, her real passions seem to be baking and sleuthing. Luckily, the local sheriff encourages her to investigate the crime because he wants to court Sabrina's aunt. Sabrina has a challenging relationship with her mother and would prefer if she would just go away. Although there is a best friend, she only seems interested in Sabrina's writing. Maybe that is because Sabrina puts her friend in a dangerous situation when she takes her on a "stakeout." Sabrina also has a new boyfriend, who is a park ranger, but their relationship is pretty bland.
While the book overall is fine, there was one aspect that I definitely did not enjoy. A number of the women are described in quite negative terms. For example, there is a deputy in the town who is so jealous of Sabrina's relationship with the park ranger that she is continually trying to pin crimes on Sabrina to get her out of the way. Bleh. There are some humorous moments involving Aunt Rowe and Hitchcock is a great cat, but those were really the only highlights. This is my third read in this series and I think will pass on any future books.
August 31, 2017
Lavender, Texas, is abuzz with Pumpkin Day Festival activity, and while Sabrina is excited for the festivities to begin, she worries that she isn't getting in the time on her second novel that she would like. When Sabrina runs into her doppelganger at the festival, a vendor by the name of Tia, who coincidentally has a lookalike black cat by the name of Merlin, she is surprised and intrigued. But surprise turns to unease when a fellow vendor from the festival threatens Sabrina, thinking she is Tia. When that same vendor ends up dead, all fingers point to Tia being the culprit; however, Sabrina isn't so sure. Now it will take Sabrina, along with her new feline duo, to find the suspect before bad luck settles to close to home!
Can I just start by saying, I loved this book! How can you not love a book with a black feline escape artist and sleuth by the name of Hitchcock? Add to the fact that we now also have his doppleganger in the form of Merlin, and we are treated to twice the feline fun!
I have been meaning to pick up and start this series since I saw the first book cover, and I am so glad I got the chance to review this book! I am so impressed with Kay Finch's writing style and character development. I was immersed in the little Texas town of Lavender and fell in love instantly, in part due to the scenery, but also due to the cast of characters that make up the town. This cast is a well-developed crew whom you instantly want to become friends with. I love their southern banter, hospitality and protectiveness! Add to the fact that the mystery in this novel is top notch, you have a grand slam of a well-written book with enough mystery to leave you on the edge of your seat and keep you guessing till the end. If you don't pick up this series, I am afraid you will be left with bad luck, the bad luck of missing out on a superb series!
Don't forget to check out the back of the book for some scrumptious recipes that had me drooling while reading!
http://myshelf.com/mystery/16/blackca...
Can I just start by saying, I loved this book! How can you not love a book with a black feline escape artist and sleuth by the name of Hitchcock? Add to the fact that we now also have his doppleganger in the form of Merlin, and we are treated to twice the feline fun!
I have been meaning to pick up and start this series since I saw the first book cover, and I am so glad I got the chance to review this book! I am so impressed with Kay Finch's writing style and character development. I was immersed in the little Texas town of Lavender and fell in love instantly, in part due to the scenery, but also due to the cast of characters that make up the town. This cast is a well-developed crew whom you instantly want to become friends with. I love their southern banter, hospitality and protectiveness! Add to the fact that the mystery in this novel is top notch, you have a grand slam of a well-written book with enough mystery to leave you on the edge of your seat and keep you guessing till the end. If you don't pick up this series, I am afraid you will be left with bad luck, the bad luck of missing out on a superb series!
Don't forget to check out the back of the book for some scrumptious recipes that had me drooling while reading!
http://myshelf.com/mystery/16/blackca...
September 17, 2017
It's Pumpkin Days Festival time in Lavender, Texas. Local businesses are setting up tents to display their wares and tourists are piling in to partake in the town's festivities. As Sabrina strolls through the festival with her cat, Hitchcock, she walks right up to someone who looks just like her. A woman named Tia is one of the outside vendors renting a tent during the festival. She also has her son and his pet cat with her. When it's discovered that Tia doesn't see eye-to-eye with another vendor named Calvin and he is found dead, Tia is the prime suspect. Sabrina makes it her mission to discover what happened and to prove that Tia wasn't involved.
The Black Cat Sees His Shadow is a wonderful third cozy mystery in Kay Finch's Bad Luck Cat Mystery series. The plot is full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end. The entire book will engage the reader from beginning to end. The descriptive content makes visualizing the scenes an easy task. The novel is fast paced and enjoyable. The motive for the murder of Calvin, as well as who did it, was cleverly disguised.
All of the characters are written with realism. The character development continues with the main characters and the addition of new characters. We aren't bogged down with unnecessary details or boring character biographies. We receive the right amount of detail and description for each character. The conversations flow smoothly and are realistic. They flow so well that you think you're standing nearby involved in the topic of discussion.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of The Black Cat Sees His Shadow provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley.
The Black Cat Sees His Shadow is a wonderful third cozy mystery in Kay Finch's Bad Luck Cat Mystery series. The plot is full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end. The entire book will engage the reader from beginning to end. The descriptive content makes visualizing the scenes an easy task. The novel is fast paced and enjoyable. The motive for the murder of Calvin, as well as who did it, was cleverly disguised.
All of the characters are written with realism. The character development continues with the main characters and the addition of new characters. We aren't bogged down with unnecessary details or boring character biographies. We receive the right amount of detail and description for each character. The conversations flow smoothly and are realistic. They flow so well that you think you're standing nearby involved in the topic of discussion.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of The Black Cat Sees His Shadow provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley.
June 15, 2017
Love, love, love this series! Sabrina and Hitchcock are back, and this novel has been well worth the wait. The multiple mysteries add to the excitement of the tale. The dialog and action are really great demonstrations of who each character really is.
And - of all things, Sabrina and Hitchcock have met someone who looks almost exactly like them! Tia is one of the vendors in town for the pumpkin festival, along with her young son and their cat, Merlin. I do hope to see more of them! Well, especially since Sabrina went through a lot in hopes of keeping her from being charged with the murder of another vendor - one whose body Sabrina had the misfortune to find.
The characters are intriguing, the unique vendors and their on-the-road personalities brought interesting twists to the mystery. Sabrina and her best friend Tyanne, along with Hitchcock are a blast. As is Aunt Rowe and her friends - who show that being a senior don't mean bein' married to a rocking chair.
I enjoy a mystery in which the bad guy is a surprise to the reader, and this was a complete, out-of-left-field surprise.
I highly recommend this 3rd delightful mystery in the Bad Luck Cat Mystery series!
And - of all things, Sabrina and Hitchcock have met someone who looks almost exactly like them! Tia is one of the vendors in town for the pumpkin festival, along with her young son and their cat, Merlin. I do hope to see more of them! Well, especially since Sabrina went through a lot in hopes of keeping her from being charged with the murder of another vendor - one whose body Sabrina had the misfortune to find.
The characters are intriguing, the unique vendors and their on-the-road personalities brought interesting twists to the mystery. Sabrina and her best friend Tyanne, along with Hitchcock are a blast. As is Aunt Rowe and her friends - who show that being a senior don't mean bein' married to a rocking chair.
I enjoy a mystery in which the bad guy is a surprise to the reader, and this was a complete, out-of-left-field surprise.
I highly recommend this 3rd delightful mystery in the Bad Luck Cat Mystery series!
July 2, 2017
[I won this paperback from the author online. I am choosing to review it although it was never requested. I was not influenced by how I received it.]
"I had to know the truth about these people,though, even if that meant painting a target on my back."
Sabrina Tate and her cat Hitchcock have settled nicely into the town of Lavender TX. However, as much as she'd like to be making a new life for herself, in some ways her old life keeps catching up with her, up to and including a possible twin in the form of Tina Hartwell, who, with her son and their cat Merlin have stirred up a little trouble of their own as they set up a booth for the jammed packed Fall Pumpkin Festival chaired by Sabrina's aunt Rowe.
Toss in a bunch of characters ranging from thieves to town folk and add a budding relationship with the local game warden, sprinkle with a surprise visit from Bree's mother and stepfather, and what starts out as a bunch of misaligned puzzle pieces becomes, in the end, another prize winning outing by Kay Finch in this, her third in the Black Cat series. An extremely satisfying cozy mystery that you just have to finish!
"I had to know the truth about these people,though, even if that meant painting a target on my back."
Sabrina Tate and her cat Hitchcock have settled nicely into the town of Lavender TX. However, as much as she'd like to be making a new life for herself, in some ways her old life keeps catching up with her, up to and including a possible twin in the form of Tina Hartwell, who, with her son and their cat Merlin have stirred up a little trouble of their own as they set up a booth for the jammed packed Fall Pumpkin Festival chaired by Sabrina's aunt Rowe.
Toss in a bunch of characters ranging from thieves to town folk and add a budding relationship with the local game warden, sprinkle with a surprise visit from Bree's mother and stepfather, and what starts out as a bunch of misaligned puzzle pieces becomes, in the end, another prize winning outing by Kay Finch in this, her third in the Black Cat series. An extremely satisfying cozy mystery that you just have to finish!
June 30, 2018
Another enjoyable, quick read. Probably 3.5 stars. It is Pumpkin Festival time in Lavender, Texas, and the town is hopping. Many of the vendors are staying at Sabrina's Aunt Rowe's cottages. One in particular, Gabe Brenner, seems to have developed a crush on Sabrina, and is following her around, much to her discomfort. But when another vendor, Calvin Fisher, anextremely dislikeable man, apparently confusing her with someone else, tries to tell Sabrina she's not welcome there, Gabe rescues her. When she meets Tia, her lookalike, along with Tia's son, Damon, and their black cat, Merlin, she finds herself very attracted to the little family, and can't help but wonder if there might be an unknown relationship. Then the next morning Sabrina just happens to find Calvin Fisher's body, she and Tia become the prime suspects. Despite knowing that the sheriff is working on the case, Sabrina can't help doing a little detective work herself. Good characterization; the author creates characters the reader can't help but care about (one way or another), along with an ingenuous plot. Recommended.
May 31, 2017
"The Black Cat Sees His Shadow" is a cozy mystery. This is the third book in the series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, and this book didn't spoil the mysteries in the previous books.
The heroine asked questions and observed what was going on around her. Her cat frequently ran off, leading her to clues. She wasn't stupid, but there were occasions when she didn't think out her actions and so put herself (and others) in potential danger.
It's a clue-based puzzle mystery, yet the heroine didn't seem very interested in who had means and opportunity. I guess she was leaving that for the police while she discovered who had a motive. I was able to spot whodunit before the heroine figured it out.
There was no sex. There was a minor amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting mystery.
I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.
The heroine asked questions and observed what was going on around her. Her cat frequently ran off, leading her to clues. She wasn't stupid, but there were occasions when she didn't think out her actions and so put herself (and others) in potential danger.
It's a clue-based puzzle mystery, yet the heroine didn't seem very interested in who had means and opportunity. I guess she was leaving that for the police while she discovered who had a motive. I was able to spot whodunit before the heroine figured it out.
There was no sex. There was a minor amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting mystery.
I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.
November 7, 2018
All the people in Lavender TX are nice, even the murderer. The requirements for a cozy mystery are here: single 30ish woman, Sabrina, who quits her job in big city to reside in small rural town with her beloved but eccentric Aunt Rowe, as well as a close friend, Tyanne, who goes on escapades with her. In addition there are the requisite two male suitors, one who is a handsome fellow in law enforcement, and the other a persistent ne'er-do-well who cannot take no for an answer. The non-formulaic entries are a police chief who encourages Sabrina to investigate crimes rather that keep her nose out of trouble, and Sabrina's mother who is a haughty hoity-toity whom Sabrina dislikes. There is a subplot about Sabrina's doppelganger, and there are hints that there may be more to this story, but it is not pursued. Sabrina's cat, Hitchcock, is the subject of the title of the book, and he is always around but more as background, not the star of the show.
March 13, 2021
On the Eve of the annual Pumpkin Days Festival in Lavender Texas, Sabrina Tate finds herself, yet again, in the middle of a murder scene. A man named Calvin Fisher is found dead, a woman named Tia Hartwell is the prime suspect. Tia not only looks a lot like Sabrina but has a cat who looks like Sabrina's cat Hitchcock and this causes a nice little extra mystery within a mystery.
Sabrina is still annoying at times but growing on me. I enjoyed getting to know Sabrina and her cat Hitchcock more and the appearance of her Mother and her antics helps explain why Sabrina is the way she is. The story line kept me guessing all the way to the end on who committed the crime and why, I did not see it coming. WELL DONE!
I do have one complaint and has nothing to do with the Author's writing style or story line. The synopsis on the back of the book gives away way too much of the book content. Kind of killed some of the surprises.
Sabrina is still annoying at times but growing on me. I enjoyed getting to know Sabrina and her cat Hitchcock more and the appearance of her Mother and her antics helps explain why Sabrina is the way she is. The story line kept me guessing all the way to the end on who committed the crime and why, I did not see it coming. WELL DONE!
I do have one complaint and has nothing to do with the Author's writing style or story line. The synopsis on the back of the book gives away way too much of the book content. Kind of killed some of the surprises.
December 4, 2021
ugh. Yet another copy cat cliched "mystery"
1 it drags on and on in a confusing way
2 interfering female different name/ different town / different job but same no talent bored person who thinks she's smarter than the law enforcement and gets in the way to "solve" the mystery.. Oh and along the way TWICE nearly gets killed AND nearly gets someone else killed because instead shes that dumb and annoying harrassing people thiking theyre all guilty again and no guilt on her end for not having a brain cell in her head .
confused how people find these writers cliched books entertaining or clever . more annoying . And how many times does she have to type "meerp" . Oh and that constant babbling about her cat being amazing gets old.
blacklisted . once again boggles the mind that publishers arent even trying to find new interesting clever writers.. they keep signing on the same cliched boring subjects
1 it drags on and on in a confusing way
2 interfering female different name/ different town / different job but same no talent bored person who thinks she's smarter than the law enforcement and gets in the way to "solve" the mystery.. Oh and along the way TWICE nearly gets killed AND nearly gets someone else killed because instead shes that dumb and annoying harrassing people thiking theyre all guilty again and no guilt on her end for not having a brain cell in her head .
confused how people find these writers cliched books entertaining or clever . more annoying . And how many times does she have to type "meerp" . Oh and that constant babbling about her cat being amazing gets old.
blacklisted . once again boggles the mind that publishers arent even trying to find new interesting clever writers.. they keep signing on the same cliched boring subjects
October 23, 2023
Mystery writer, Sabrina Tate, is drawn into another murder investigation in Lavender, Texas, when she meets Tia Hartwell, a young woman participating in the small town's annual Pumpkin Festival. Although Sabrina and Tia have never met before, they look very much alike; so much so, that they are being mistaken for one another, which isn't necessarily a good thing, when one of them is under suspicion for murder.
I really enjoy these mysteries, and the continuously evolving list of possible suspects in the various murder investigations. Sabrina's mysterious black cat, Hitchcock, is also a fun element to the storyline, as well as the town's eccentric antique store owner, who pops up when Sabrina least expects her to, advising Sabrina to use her "powers", which makes no sense to Sabrina at this point...I guess we'll have to wait and see if something more becomes of this later in the series...
I really enjoy these mysteries, and the continuously evolving list of possible suspects in the various murder investigations. Sabrina's mysterious black cat, Hitchcock, is also a fun element to the storyline, as well as the town's eccentric antique store owner, who pops up when Sabrina least expects her to, advising Sabrina to use her "powers", which makes no sense to Sabrina at this point...I guess we'll have to wait and see if something more becomes of this later in the series...
August 7, 2017
I've loved this series from the beginning and as a plus I always enjoy books set in my home state of Texas. Lavender, Texas is hosting the annual Pumpkin Days Festival and Sabrina meets her twin, Tia who's a caricature artist and travels from festival to festival. Tia also has a black cat named Merlin who looks a lot like Hitchcock as well as a young son named Damon. Sabrina soon learns that Tia has an enemy among the festival people, a bad-tempered jewelry vendor named Calvin. Sabrina must clear her new friend when Calvin is found dead in his pickup. There are the usual ups and downs of solving a murder. As it turns out, the trouble all began when Damon innocently drew a picture of some merchandise under Calvin's table during a game of hide-n-seek at one of the festivals. Calvin and his friends have been up to no good and they're willing to kill to protect their secrets.
December 19, 2017
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
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