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Cat Rescue Mystery #1
Purr M for Murder: A Cat Rescue Mystery
Sydney McCall left behind an ex-fiancé and a New York advertising job to return home to Deer Park, North Carolina and help her sister, Kat, run the local animal shelter, Friendly Paws. Determined to save the shelter from financial trouble, Sydney and Kat organize a cat café fundraising event at a local coffee shop. Things are looking up until their landlord, Trowbridge Littleton, threatens to shut down the event. When Sydney drops by his art gallery to make peace, she finds Kat--along with Littleton's dead body.
Local homicide detective Will Worthington--who just happens to be Sydney's old high school crush--is highly suspicious of the sisters' involvement. Desperate to clear their names from the suspect list, Sydney pounces on the investigation. With the help of one of the shelter cats, a savvy orange tabby named Toby, Sydney begins poking her nose into other local businesses whose owners may have benefited from Littleton's death--until the killer notices she's pawing a little too closely at the truth.
Delightfully clever and charming, Purr M for Murder, the first in a new series from nationally bestselling author T. C. LoTempio, will leave readers clawing for more.
Local homicide detective Will Worthington--who just happens to be Sydney's old high school crush--is highly suspicious of the sisters' involvement. Desperate to clear their names from the suspect list, Sydney pounces on the investigation. With the help of one of the shelter cats, a savvy orange tabby named Toby, Sydney begins poking her nose into other local businesses whose owners may have benefited from Littleton's death--until the killer notices she's pawing a little too closely at the truth.
Delightfully clever and charming, Purr M for Murder, the first in a new series from nationally bestselling author T. C. LoTempio, will leave readers clawing for more.
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 14, 2017
58 people are currently reading
1875 people want to read
About the author
T.C. LoTempio
25 books759 followersBorn in New York City, T. C. LoTempio is the national bestselling author of Meow If It’s Murder, the first in the Nick and Nora Mystery series.
She has been a staff reporter at the young adult magazine Susabella Passengers and Friends for more than a decade.
While Toni LoTempio does not commit – or solve – murders in real life, she has no trouble doing it on paper.
Her lifelong love of mysteries began early on when she was introduced to her first Nancy Drew mystery at age 10 – The Secret in the Old Attic. She lists among her favorite mystery/suspense writers Erle Stanley Gardner, Mary Higgins Clark and James Patterson, as well as EJ Copperman, Steve Hockensmith, Victoria Laurie, Ali Brandon, Rita Mae Brown, Miranda James and Sofie Kelly to name only a few!
Toni is also passionate about her love for animals, as demonstrated with her four cats: Trixie, Princess, Maxx and, of course, ROCCO, who not only provided the inspiration for the character of Nick the cat in the Nick and Nora mystery series, but who also writes his own blog and does charity work for Nathan Fillion’s charity, Kids Need to Read!
Toni’s also devoted to miniseries like The Thorn Birds, Dancing with the Stars, reruns of Murder She Wrote and Castle (of course!).
She (and ROCCO, albeit he’s uncredited) pen the Nick and Nora mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime.
She, Rocco and company make their home in Clifton, New Jersey, just twenty minutes from the Big Apple – New York
She has been a staff reporter at the young adult magazine Susabella Passengers and Friends for more than a decade.
While Toni LoTempio does not commit – or solve – murders in real life, she has no trouble doing it on paper.
Her lifelong love of mysteries began early on when she was introduced to her first Nancy Drew mystery at age 10 – The Secret in the Old Attic. She lists among her favorite mystery/suspense writers Erle Stanley Gardner, Mary Higgins Clark and James Patterson, as well as EJ Copperman, Steve Hockensmith, Victoria Laurie, Ali Brandon, Rita Mae Brown, Miranda James and Sofie Kelly to name only a few!
Toni is also passionate about her love for animals, as demonstrated with her four cats: Trixie, Princess, Maxx and, of course, ROCCO, who not only provided the inspiration for the character of Nick the cat in the Nick and Nora mystery series, but who also writes his own blog and does charity work for Nathan Fillion’s charity, Kids Need to Read!
Toni’s also devoted to miniseries like The Thorn Birds, Dancing with the Stars, reruns of Murder She Wrote and Castle (of course!).
She (and ROCCO, albeit he’s uncredited) pen the Nick and Nora mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime.
She, Rocco and company make their home in Clifton, New Jersey, just twenty minutes from the Big Apple – New York
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
January 10, 2017
Sydney joins her sister, Kat, to assist at Kat's no-kill animal shelter in Deer Park, NC. They plan to open a 'cat cafe' room at a friend's Sweets and Treats shop so cats and people can meet and greet and, hopefully, fall in love and result in many successful pet adoptions. One wily tomcat, nicknamed 'The Wanderer', has caught Sydney's eye already--his name is Toby and the feeling is mutual!
Opposing the idea is a local 'old moneybags', Trowbridge Littleton. He's concerned the cat cafe would adversely affect the surrounding retailers, including the art gallery he co-owns. He intends to cause trouble, and he and Kat toss verbal threats back and forth like a football. Later, the snooping sisters are horrified when Littleton's body tumbles out of an antique armoire in his office. High school classmate, Detective Will Worthington, wants to believe Kat isn't a murderer, but evidence quickly needs to be found to clear her name.
With a list of suspects as long as a cat's tail, Sydney begins sleuthing for a culprit with motive; assisted by Toby! The story purrs along smoothly and rapidly, ending in a climactic rescue by two of Syd's heroes!
I found this debut story an enchanting mix of colorful characters, cuddly cats, and an intriguing mystery that picked up pace the further along I read. I eagerly look forward to book two.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy.
Opposing the idea is a local 'old moneybags', Trowbridge Littleton. He's concerned the cat cafe would adversely affect the surrounding retailers, including the art gallery he co-owns. He intends to cause trouble, and he and Kat toss verbal threats back and forth like a football. Later, the snooping sisters are horrified when Littleton's body tumbles out of an antique armoire in his office. High school classmate, Detective Will Worthington, wants to believe Kat isn't a murderer, but evidence quickly needs to be found to clear her name.
With a list of suspects as long as a cat's tail, Sydney begins sleuthing for a culprit with motive; assisted by Toby! The story purrs along smoothly and rapidly, ending in a climactic rescue by two of Syd's heroes!
I found this debut story an enchanting mix of colorful characters, cuddly cats, and an intriguing mystery that picked up pace the further along I read. I eagerly look forward to book two.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy.
June 5, 2019
Purr M for Murder is the first book in the Cat Rescue Mystery. I picked this one up because I enjoyed the Nick and Nora series so much. I did like the book, but it lacks a little bit of the charm of Nick and Nora. Love the cat cafe fundraiser idea. Cute! I will continue on. 3 stars
March 11, 2017
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Purr M for Murder is a marvelous start for this new series!
Sydney McCall has come back to Deer Park to help her sister Kat do some major fundraising and promotion for the local animal shelter. Almost everyone is happy about their first scheduled fundraising event. Trowbridge Littleton is making a major fuss and wants the whole thing shutdown. You would think since he is their landlord he would be supportive. The girls make a plan to meet with him and try to convince him the project is a great idea. When Syd arrives at his gallery the next morning she finds Kat already there. She also finds their landlord dead.
Syd gets another surprise when the police show up. One of the detectives is Will Worthington, is her old high school crush. She is not sure if this is a good or a bad thing because his partner clearly thinks the sisters, specifically Kat, is the prime suspect. So with a little assistance of that darling cat on the cover Sydney is pawing around trying to find plenty of alternative suspects and save her sister but she is also putting herself in danger.
I loved everything about this story. Friendly Paws Animal Shelter , a no-kill shelter, not only has friendly animals but friendly owners and volunteers. Their idea of bringing adoptable cats to a friend’s coffee shop for a pop up event sounds like so much fun. The entire town with the exception of Trowbridge Littleton seems to embrace the idea. But we find he is not a favorite with the community. There are many that are not too upset or surprised that the man is dead. The author gives us an abundance of suspects including his wife, his business partner and all of his tenants. Each character is unique and very enjoyable. They are all believable and the dialogue is spot on.
Now let me tell you about Toby. A handsome orange tabby who is a bit of a wanderer. Kat believes he is searching for his purrfect human companion and she thinks that may be Sydney. His wandering is a bit mysterious as he shows up in some unusual places. By the end of the story we see what a truly fantastic feline he is and if he does find his furr-ever home.
The pace of this book is quick. The mystery is well written and has several surprising twists taking us to a very exciting ending. There are some romantic sparks and funny scenes too. Add in the frisky felines and cuddly canines and you have a cozy mystery the will have you meowing for more. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
Purr M for Murder is a marvelous start for this new series!
Sydney McCall has come back to Deer Park to help her sister Kat do some major fundraising and promotion for the local animal shelter. Almost everyone is happy about their first scheduled fundraising event. Trowbridge Littleton is making a major fuss and wants the whole thing shutdown. You would think since he is their landlord he would be supportive. The girls make a plan to meet with him and try to convince him the project is a great idea. When Syd arrives at his gallery the next morning she finds Kat already there. She also finds their landlord dead.
Syd gets another surprise when the police show up. One of the detectives is Will Worthington, is her old high school crush. She is not sure if this is a good or a bad thing because his partner clearly thinks the sisters, specifically Kat, is the prime suspect. So with a little assistance of that darling cat on the cover Sydney is pawing around trying to find plenty of alternative suspects and save her sister but she is also putting herself in danger.
I loved everything about this story. Friendly Paws Animal Shelter , a no-kill shelter, not only has friendly animals but friendly owners and volunteers. Their idea of bringing adoptable cats to a friend’s coffee shop for a pop up event sounds like so much fun. The entire town with the exception of Trowbridge Littleton seems to embrace the idea. But we find he is not a favorite with the community. There are many that are not too upset or surprised that the man is dead. The author gives us an abundance of suspects including his wife, his business partner and all of his tenants. Each character is unique and very enjoyable. They are all believable and the dialogue is spot on.
Now let me tell you about Toby. A handsome orange tabby who is a bit of a wanderer. Kat believes he is searching for his purrfect human companion and she thinks that may be Sydney. His wandering is a bit mysterious as he shows up in some unusual places. By the end of the story we see what a truly fantastic feline he is and if he does find his furr-ever home.
The pace of this book is quick. The mystery is well written and has several surprising twists taking us to a very exciting ending. There are some romantic sparks and funny scenes too. Add in the frisky felines and cuddly canines and you have a cozy mystery the will have you meowing for more. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
February 13, 2019
I read the second book in this series, and had to go back and read this one to get the back story about Syd, Kat and Leila. This was a great start to a new series. I love the idea that their occupations are running a pet rescue, mostly cats, but they do not turn away other animals.
Sydney (Syd) McCall has returned home to Deer Park, NC after a bad relationship. She also quit her job working as the promotions manager in her fiance's father's company. When she does not find a job right away, her sister, Kat, the manager of the Friendly Paws animal shelter offers her a temporary position running an upcoming event, a cat cafe. They are up against some resistance from Trowbridge Littleton, a rich business man in town who's only pleasure in life seems to be making others miserable. He's upsetting all the merchants in the area by threatening to raise their rent, he's opposing the cat cafe and rumor has it he is trying to shut down the animal shelter. When Kat threatens him, and he threatens her in return, nobody thinks much of it, until he is found dead the next morning, by Kat and Syd. Of course, this means that Kat is at the top of the suspect list, at least for Detective Hank Bennington. Detective Will Worthington is an old friend of Syd's and he assures her that he will do everything to make sure Kat is not arrested. With the help of Leila, Syd's roommate, who is also a local reporter, Syd sets out to find the real murderer.
I really like the main characters in this story. Kat and Syd are siblings that truly care about each other. They will do whatever they can to help each other. They are both smart, headstrong and will do whatever it takes to fight for what they believe in. Leila is the third in their little group. She and Syd were best friends growing up and have picked up where they left off. Toby, is a rescue cat who is smart, able to communicate with Syd in various ways and is known as the wanderer. He seems to be able to get in and out of situations with no one even realizing it. There are times in this book that Syd is lucky he has this ability. The relationship with Will gets off to a good start, with Syd and Will planning a dinner. The mystery is well paced. There are a lot of suspects, with a lot of motives, although most of them boil down to money. I waffled back and forth as to who was the murderer, but struck out. The final reveal and take down was pretty exciting and in hindsight there were some clues that I had not taken seriously when reading. There were some good twists right until the end and I read through this one quickly to get to the resolution. A great choice for a cozy mystery reader, especially if you enjoy ones with animals. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
Sydney (Syd) McCall has returned home to Deer Park, NC after a bad relationship. She also quit her job working as the promotions manager in her fiance's father's company. When she does not find a job right away, her sister, Kat, the manager of the Friendly Paws animal shelter offers her a temporary position running an upcoming event, a cat cafe. They are up against some resistance from Trowbridge Littleton, a rich business man in town who's only pleasure in life seems to be making others miserable. He's upsetting all the merchants in the area by threatening to raise their rent, he's opposing the cat cafe and rumor has it he is trying to shut down the animal shelter. When Kat threatens him, and he threatens her in return, nobody thinks much of it, until he is found dead the next morning, by Kat and Syd. Of course, this means that Kat is at the top of the suspect list, at least for Detective Hank Bennington. Detective Will Worthington is an old friend of Syd's and he assures her that he will do everything to make sure Kat is not arrested. With the help of Leila, Syd's roommate, who is also a local reporter, Syd sets out to find the real murderer.
I really like the main characters in this story. Kat and Syd are siblings that truly care about each other. They will do whatever they can to help each other. They are both smart, headstrong and will do whatever it takes to fight for what they believe in. Leila is the third in their little group. She and Syd were best friends growing up and have picked up where they left off. Toby, is a rescue cat who is smart, able to communicate with Syd in various ways and is known as the wanderer. He seems to be able to get in and out of situations with no one even realizing it. There are times in this book that Syd is lucky he has this ability. The relationship with Will gets off to a good start, with Syd and Will planning a dinner. The mystery is well paced. There are a lot of suspects, with a lot of motives, although most of them boil down to money. I waffled back and forth as to who was the murderer, but struck out. The final reveal and take down was pretty exciting and in hindsight there were some clues that I had not taken seriously when reading. There were some good twists right until the end and I read through this one quickly to get to the resolution. A great choice for a cozy mystery reader, especially if you enjoy ones with animals. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
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March 5, 2017Review/Giveaway
A Cozy Girl Reads and Writes
March 11
http://acozygirlreads.blogspot.ca/
A Cozy Girl Reads and Writes
March 11
http://acozygirlreads.blogspot.ca/
January 14, 2018
Oh my goodness, this was a good one! I loved the whole idea of pet rescue, mainly cat rescue for the sake of the series and how long time resident of the cat shelter, Toby, was searching for just his perfect human.
Sydney (Syd) McCall has returned home to Deer Park, NC after finding her secretary and fiance (who was also the boss's son) having an affair. She quit that job and came to work as promotions manager for her sister, Kat, at the Friendly Paws animal shelter. The event they are working on is a cat cafe hosted at Dayna's Sweet Shop (formerly the McCall family cafe). For a fee, customers can go to an area away from the cafe itself and hang out with cats for a couple of hours and hopefully end up adopting one or two of them.
Trowbridge Littleton is the rich guy in town who make Scrooge look like Santa Claus. He's upsetting all the merchants in the area by threatening to raise their rent, he's opposing the cat cafe and rumor has it he is trying to shut down the animal shelter. That is, until someone shuts him down for good. Unfortunately the ones to find him are none other than Kat and Syd so without any other suspects at the moment, the police have them as their top persons of interest.
In the meantime, Detective Will Worthington is getting reacquainted with Syd since they went to school together. She's able to get little tidbits out of him now and then concerning the murder but when he's with his senior partner, Detective Hank Bennington, he clams up and is nothing but business.
Syd's good friend that she's rooming with, Leila, is a local reporter so together they try to see what they can find out so that the police can start to suspect someone else besides Kat since Kat unfortunately and accidentally spouted out what was taken as a warning to Littleton when he was at the cafe earlier.
Toby, the adorable orange cat who originally was a wanderer, has a big role at the end of the book and anyone reading it will just love it. With his help, Syd solves the murder, manages to escape with her life intact and scores a date with Will. The take down was pretty exciting. I hadn't guessed who the killer was until the reveal came since there were some great twists and characters who could have been the perp.
I heard the next book in the series is coming soon and I can't wait to read it!
Sydney (Syd) McCall has returned home to Deer Park, NC after finding her secretary and fiance (who was also the boss's son) having an affair. She quit that job and came to work as promotions manager for her sister, Kat, at the Friendly Paws animal shelter. The event they are working on is a cat cafe hosted at Dayna's Sweet Shop (formerly the McCall family cafe). For a fee, customers can go to an area away from the cafe itself and hang out with cats for a couple of hours and hopefully end up adopting one or two of them.
Trowbridge Littleton is the rich guy in town who make Scrooge look like Santa Claus. He's upsetting all the merchants in the area by threatening to raise their rent, he's opposing the cat cafe and rumor has it he is trying to shut down the animal shelter. That is, until someone shuts him down for good. Unfortunately the ones to find him are none other than Kat and Syd so without any other suspects at the moment, the police have them as their top persons of interest.
In the meantime, Detective Will Worthington is getting reacquainted with Syd since they went to school together. She's able to get little tidbits out of him now and then concerning the murder but when he's with his senior partner, Detective Hank Bennington, he clams up and is nothing but business.
Syd's good friend that she's rooming with, Leila, is a local reporter so together they try to see what they can find out so that the police can start to suspect someone else besides Kat since Kat unfortunately and accidentally spouted out what was taken as a warning to Littleton when he was at the cafe earlier.
Toby, the adorable orange cat who originally was a wanderer, has a big role at the end of the book and anyone reading it will just love it. With his help, Syd solves the murder, manages to escape with her life intact and scores a date with Will. The take down was pretty exciting. I hadn't guessed who the killer was until the reveal came since there were some great twists and characters who could have been the perp.
I heard the next book in the series is coming soon and I can't wait to read it!
March 4, 2019
This is the first book I've read by this author and I really enjoyed the story and her writing style. The story had a nice even pace that just kept me reading to see what would happen next. She has written likable protagonists in sisters Sydney and Kate McCall. There is a secondary cast of shop owners that round out the characters nicely. I thought Toby made he perfect feline sleuthing companion for Sydney. I liked the mystery and there were enough suspects to keep me guessing which also helped to keep me turning pages.
This was such an enjoyable read that I immediately requested the 2nd book in the series from my library.
This was such an enjoyable read that I immediately requested the 2nd book in the series from my library.
October 8, 2021
Decent first in series, even if I figured it out pretty early. It also has a very likeable cat
October 11, 2017
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February 3, 2017
See this and all of my reviews at Mystereity Reviews
Sydney and her sister Kat run Friendly Paws, an animal shelter in Deer Park, North Carolina. The shelter has run into financial difficulties, so Sydney and Kat team up with a local coffee shop to host a Cat Cafe, all to benefit the shelter and to get some of the cats adopted. The only problem is that one of the townspeople, an influential property owner named Trowbridge Littleton, is determined to shut the Cat Cafe and the animal shelter down. Determined to change his mind, Sydney and Kat show up at his shop and discover him dead on the floor. Under suspicion and intent on saving the animal shelter from being closed, the sisters team up to find a killer.
Purr M for Murder is a cute and entertaining debut in a new series, there was a lot to like about it. The twisty and engaging plot kept me turning pages, and Toby the cat made for one adorable sleuthing sidekick. Likable characters, a quick pace, and a fantastic ending, complete with a big plot twist and an action-packed conclusion, all combined to make a thoroughly delightful and enjoyable story.
And I loved the cat cafe idea (this should be done everywhere, along with a doggy diner!)
Overall, Purr M for Murder is a fantastic start to a new series and will appeal to cat fanatics and cozy mystery fans looking to curl up with a purr-fectly charming tale.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for providing an advance copy of this book in return for my honest review.
Sydney and her sister Kat run Friendly Paws, an animal shelter in Deer Park, North Carolina. The shelter has run into financial difficulties, so Sydney and Kat team up with a local coffee shop to host a Cat Cafe, all to benefit the shelter and to get some of the cats adopted. The only problem is that one of the townspeople, an influential property owner named Trowbridge Littleton, is determined to shut the Cat Cafe and the animal shelter down. Determined to change his mind, Sydney and Kat show up at his shop and discover him dead on the floor. Under suspicion and intent on saving the animal shelter from being closed, the sisters team up to find a killer.
Purr M for Murder is a cute and entertaining debut in a new series, there was a lot to like about it. The twisty and engaging plot kept me turning pages, and Toby the cat made for one adorable sleuthing sidekick. Likable characters, a quick pace, and a fantastic ending, complete with a big plot twist and an action-packed conclusion, all combined to make a thoroughly delightful and enjoyable story.
And I loved the cat cafe idea (this should be done everywhere, along with a doggy diner!)
Overall, Purr M for Murder is a fantastic start to a new series and will appeal to cat fanatics and cozy mystery fans looking to curl up with a purr-fectly charming tale.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for providing an advance copy of this book in return for my honest review.
February 26, 2017
I had a hard time getting into this one. I found the dialogue to be really forced and unnatural. For example, this line, "You query him subtly." I don't know anyone who speaks that way. It had the same feel as a bad movie, where everything is exaggerated and overacted. I also thought the book was awfully short on substance - while on the one hand, that's nice (it made for a very quick read), it also felt....superficial? I'm not sure that's the right description. There wasn't a lot of depth to the mystery, or to the sleuthing, and clues seemed to just fall into Sydney's lap. Overall, the characters didn't really do much for me - that's not to say I disliked them, but I didn't really have a whole lot of attachment to them.
But what I did like was the fact that this was such a quick read. The animals are cute, and present enough to keep this animal lover engaged when the mystery didn't feel quite mysterious enough. And I also liked that the book didn't take itself too seriously - cozy mysteries are supposed to be fun, and while this one wasn't a riot, it was light and fluffy.
But what I did like was the fact that this was such a quick read. The animals are cute, and present enough to keep this animal lover engaged when the mystery didn't feel quite mysterious enough. And I also liked that the book didn't take itself too seriously - cozy mysteries are supposed to be fun, and while this one wasn't a riot, it was light and fluffy.
June 16, 2017
This one kept me guessing till the very end! Hope the next book comes out soon.
March 14, 2017
Purr M for Murder by T.C. LoTempio is the first book in A Cat Rescue Mystery series. Sydney McCall has returned home to Deer Park, North Carolina after catching her fiancé in flagrante with his secretary. Since Preston Renshaw III was the boss’s son, Sydney quit her job as Director of Marketing at Reid and Renshaw. Her sister, Kat needed her assistance with the Friendly Paws Animal Shelter. Donations have been down and their last two fundraisers did not elicit many funds. Kat is hoping Sydney can apply her marketing prowess to the shelter. Sydney’s first idea is to hold a cat café at Dayna’s Sweets and Treats. It will help raise funds and, hopefully, some cats will find forever homes. Trowbridge Littleton, owner of The Brush and Canvas, is against their event and confronts Kat. It ends with Kat threatening Mr. Littleton (not a wise move on her part). Sydney decides to talk to Mr. Littleton the next morning and arrives at his gallery around 6 a.m. Sydney finds the door open, but no one answers her call (you can see where this is heading). Sydney is startled when Kat turns up next to her (she had been watching for Sydney across the street). They find their way to office and find it has been ransacked. Kat admires a beautiful antique cabinet and is insistent upon looking inside. They open the doors and Trowbridge Littleton falls out. When the police arrive, Sydney is started to discover that Will Worthington (high school crush, of course) is one of the detectives. It is soon apparent that Kat is the primary suspect. It seems that Kat has been holding back on a few details. Sydney puts on her detective cap and sets out to find the real perpetrator with the help of her new cat, Toby (master escape artist). But the killer must take action when Sydney gets a little too close for comfort.
Purr M for Murder is easy to read and nicely written. I found that the book had a good pace which made it easy to read. I appreciated the pet rescue element in the book. It will help make readers aware of the problems facing animals in our society (there are too few no-kill shelters). I liked the main characters of Kat, Sydney and Toby. Toby was a great addition to this tale. Without Toby, Purr M for Murder would not have been as entertaining (he elevated the story). I give Purr M for Murder 4 out of 5 stars. I do wish, though, that the mystery had been a little more complex. It was evident which character would get murdered (the nastiest). Solving the crime was easily discernable. There is one big clue that gave it away early in the story (at least to me). I am hoping that in the next book the author will not put the murder or crime so early in the novel (it makes for the book feel long). I liked the subtle attraction between Will Worthington and Sydney. It is low-key and plays out nicely in the background until the end. I do wonder, though, why authors feel the need to provide a romantic counterpart for their main character in the first book. I like a little romance in my cozies, but I like it when it plays out slowly over the course of the series. I thought the ending was uplifting and cute. With a few tweaks, I believe this will be a pleasurable cozy mystery series. I am looking forward to reading the next book in A Cat Rescue Mystery series.
Purr M for Murder is easy to read and nicely written. I found that the book had a good pace which made it easy to read. I appreciated the pet rescue element in the book. It will help make readers aware of the problems facing animals in our society (there are too few no-kill shelters). I liked the main characters of Kat, Sydney and Toby. Toby was a great addition to this tale. Without Toby, Purr M for Murder would not have been as entertaining (he elevated the story). I give Purr M for Murder 4 out of 5 stars. I do wish, though, that the mystery had been a little more complex. It was evident which character would get murdered (the nastiest). Solving the crime was easily discernable. There is one big clue that gave it away early in the story (at least to me). I am hoping that in the next book the author will not put the murder or crime so early in the novel (it makes for the book feel long). I liked the subtle attraction between Will Worthington and Sydney. It is low-key and plays out nicely in the background until the end. I do wonder, though, why authors feel the need to provide a romantic counterpart for their main character in the first book. I like a little romance in my cozies, but I like it when it plays out slowly over the course of the series. I thought the ending was uplifting and cute. With a few tweaks, I believe this will be a pleasurable cozy mystery series. I am looking forward to reading the next book in A Cat Rescue Mystery series.
March 20, 2019
I would like to thank netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This has been the first cost crime book I have read and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I'm definitely interested in reading more from this genre.
Toby the cat was cute and was a nice add to the story. There was also fat shaming of the male MC who was bigger when he was youmger, but now appears to be some kind of Greek God.
This has been the first cost crime book I have read and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I'm definitely interested in reading more from this genre.
Toby the cat was cute and was a nice add to the story. There was also fat shaming of the male MC who was bigger when he was youmger, but now appears to be some kind of Greek God.
March 11, 2017
Purr M for Murder is the authors debut series which features Sydney and her sister Kat. She helps Kat run the animal shelter in Deer Park NC as the publicity director. She wants to run a cat cafe at a friend's bakery but the local rich man and landlord Trowbridge thinks it will be bad for business. When Syd and Kat go to his gallery to reason with him they find him dead.
Syd jumps right in to solve this case as her sister seems to be the prime suspect but she finds others. We have ex lovers, step son, wife, partner and more. Her old friend Will is the new detective and tries his best to worn her off but she does help with clues.
We can't forget Toby who has made it his mission to have Syd as his owner. Between the cat clues and Wil and Syd you can't put the book down. The author does an excellent job with the characters and setting. Looking forward to what Toby and Syd get into next.
Syd jumps right in to solve this case as her sister seems to be the prime suspect but she finds others. We have ex lovers, step son, wife, partner and more. Her old friend Will is the new detective and tries his best to worn her off but she does help with clues.
We can't forget Toby who has made it his mission to have Syd as his owner. Between the cat clues and Wil and Syd you can't put the book down. The author does an excellent job with the characters and setting. Looking forward to what Toby and Syd get into next.
February 3, 2017
Purr M for Murder is the debut installment for T. C. LoTempio’s new Cat Rescue Mystery series. This book is well written and the characters are well developed. There’s an interesting mystery, great characters, and a wonderful cat that has some unique abilities. I was kept guessing until the final reveal. I’m looking forward to reading the next installment in this series.
Sydney (Syd) McCall has recently quit her job in New York and returned to her hometown of Deer Park, North Carolina and is working as a temporary publicity consultant for Friendly Paws, her sister’s animal shelter which has run into some financial difficulties. Syd and her sister, Katherine (Kat) are excitedly preparing for cat café event they are co-hosting with their friend, Dayna Harper. The event is being held at Dayna’s pastry and coffee shop and the sisters are hoping to raise funds for the shelter and find forever homes for some of the shelter’s cats. The event was a success and Syd even adopted Toby, a lovable orange tabby. Kat exchanges heated words with Trowbridge Littleton, the proprietor of The Brush and Canvas and one of Deer Park’s most influential citizens, who is against the event and the shelter. Syd and Kat go to Trowbridge’s office early the next morning to try to smooth things out but Trowbridge doesn’t appear to be there. Kat sees a beautiful antique armoire, and when the sisters open it, imagine their shock when Trowbridge’s body falls out. Trowbridge isn’t liked by many people but because of their argument, Kat becomes Detective Henry ‘Hank’ Bennington’s prime suspect. Will Worthington, the other detective assigned to the case, knows the sisters from high school, and believes Kat is innocent. Syd refuses to sit by and sets out to prove her sister is innocent. She uncovers a long list of suspects and, with Toby’s help, finds the truth.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
Sydney (Syd) McCall has recently quit her job in New York and returned to her hometown of Deer Park, North Carolina and is working as a temporary publicity consultant for Friendly Paws, her sister’s animal shelter which has run into some financial difficulties. Syd and her sister, Katherine (Kat) are excitedly preparing for cat café event they are co-hosting with their friend, Dayna Harper. The event is being held at Dayna’s pastry and coffee shop and the sisters are hoping to raise funds for the shelter and find forever homes for some of the shelter’s cats. The event was a success and Syd even adopted Toby, a lovable orange tabby. Kat exchanges heated words with Trowbridge Littleton, the proprietor of The Brush and Canvas and one of Deer Park’s most influential citizens, who is against the event and the shelter. Syd and Kat go to Trowbridge’s office early the next morning to try to smooth things out but Trowbridge doesn’t appear to be there. Kat sees a beautiful antique armoire, and when the sisters open it, imagine their shock when Trowbridge’s body falls out. Trowbridge isn’t liked by many people but because of their argument, Kat becomes Detective Henry ‘Hank’ Bennington’s prime suspect. Will Worthington, the other detective assigned to the case, knows the sisters from high school, and believes Kat is innocent. Syd refuses to sit by and sets out to prove her sister is innocent. She uncovers a long list of suspects and, with Toby’s help, finds the truth.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
March 28, 2021
I enjoyed it. At first the writing style was a little distracting, but then I got into the story and didn't really notice it. Love stories where the human and cat seem to communicate with each other! Likable characters! Genuinely surprising ending!
December 27, 2016
I love Toby! Those 3 words say it all. I am new to this author and this series and even though I adored the book, I adored Toby even more!
When Sydney leaves her life behind in New York to work in an animal shelter with her sister in North Carolina, she has no plans to fall in love with a cat.
Sydney's sister Kat is worried that her beloved shelter will be closed. The landlord Trowbridge Littleton has no use for animals or so it seems, and he can't wait to shut the doors on Friendly Paws.
Unfortunately for Kat, Littleton is murdered and she becomes the prime suspect.
Sydney refuses to sit idly by and watch her sister take the rap for murder. With the assistance of Toby, a lovable orange tabby, Sydney soon digs deep and finds the truth.
I would give this book 10 stars! Fans of this series will love this fantastic book!
I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
When Sydney leaves her life behind in New York to work in an animal shelter with her sister in North Carolina, she has no plans to fall in love with a cat.
Sydney's sister Kat is worried that her beloved shelter will be closed. The landlord Trowbridge Littleton has no use for animals or so it seems, and he can't wait to shut the doors on Friendly Paws.
Unfortunately for Kat, Littleton is murdered and she becomes the prime suspect.
Sydney refuses to sit idly by and watch her sister take the rap for murder. With the assistance of Toby, a lovable orange tabby, Sydney soon digs deep and finds the truth.
I would give this book 10 stars! Fans of this series will love this fantastic book!
I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
November 15, 2017
From Witty Kitty's Book Blog:
This is a really sweet cozy mystery and is the first, that I know of anyway, that is set in a cat cafe! Ms. Witty Kitty would so love to open her own cat cafe someday, so she was overjoyed when she saw the back-cover blurb on this one!
It’s actually set in a Deer Park, North Carolina cat rescue called Friendly Paws, which is owned by sleuth Sydney’s sister, Kat, but in order to raise funds for the rescue, the sisters organize a cat event in a local cafe (which is how the current craze of cat cafes in the U.S. began :)) Well, everyone in the small town is super excited for the cat cafe event, thinking it’s a fabulous idea for a fundraiser - which of course it is - except for Kat’s landlord, Trowbridge Littleton (what a great name!), who promises to do everything he can to keep the event from happening. He also owns an art gallery down the street, and, when Sydney shows up there to try to convince him to reconsider, she finds Kat already there, along with Trowbridge’s dead body. Sydney now has to prove her sister’s innocence and find the real killer. Of course Trowbridge is not very liked among the townspeople, so there are lots of possibilities for who the real killer is, and LoTempio keeps us guessing until the end.
I found all of the characters delightful, as well as the well-described setting, and Sydney is a savvy, endearing sleuth you really want to root for. What I always love about cat or dog mysteries, though, is watching the animal help solve the crime. Here, an orange tabby named Toby performs that function quite well. Toby is a bit of a wandering tom whose ways leads him to see certain things, making him very helpful to the woman whom it seems will become his chosen human, sleuth Sydney.
This is a fun cat cozy and only the first in what I hope will become a long series. Five delicious bonito flakes!
Above sister Katusha checks out our copy of the book, which WK found at the Scottsdale Civic Library’s little Friends of the Library bookstore.
This is a really sweet cozy mystery and is the first, that I know of anyway, that is set in a cat cafe! Ms. Witty Kitty would so love to open her own cat cafe someday, so she was overjoyed when she saw the back-cover blurb on this one!
It’s actually set in a Deer Park, North Carolina cat rescue called Friendly Paws, which is owned by sleuth Sydney’s sister, Kat, but in order to raise funds for the rescue, the sisters organize a cat event in a local cafe (which is how the current craze of cat cafes in the U.S. began :)) Well, everyone in the small town is super excited for the cat cafe event, thinking it’s a fabulous idea for a fundraiser - which of course it is - except for Kat’s landlord, Trowbridge Littleton (what a great name!), who promises to do everything he can to keep the event from happening. He also owns an art gallery down the street, and, when Sydney shows up there to try to convince him to reconsider, she finds Kat already there, along with Trowbridge’s dead body. Sydney now has to prove her sister’s innocence and find the real killer. Of course Trowbridge is not very liked among the townspeople, so there are lots of possibilities for who the real killer is, and LoTempio keeps us guessing until the end.
I found all of the characters delightful, as well as the well-described setting, and Sydney is a savvy, endearing sleuth you really want to root for. What I always love about cat or dog mysteries, though, is watching the animal help solve the crime. Here, an orange tabby named Toby performs that function quite well. Toby is a bit of a wandering tom whose ways leads him to see certain things, making him very helpful to the woman whom it seems will become his chosen human, sleuth Sydney.
This is a fun cat cozy and only the first in what I hope will become a long series. Five delicious bonito flakes!
Above sister Katusha checks out our copy of the book, which WK found at the Scottsdale Civic Library’s little Friends of the Library bookstore.
March 8, 2017
Purr M For Murder
A Cat Rescue Mystery, Book #1
T. C. LoTempio
5+ Stars
Synopsis:
Sydney McCall left behind an ex-fiancé and a New York advertising job to return home to Deer Park, North Carolina and help her sister, Kat, run the local animal shelter, Friendly Paws. Determined to save the shelter from financial trouble, Sydney and Kat organize a cat café fundraising event at a local coffee shop. Things are looking up until their landlord, Trowbridge Littleton, threatens to shut down the event. When Sydney drops by his art gallery to make peace, she finds Kat--along with Littleton's dead body.
Local homicide detective Will Worthington--who just happens to be Sydney's old high school crush--is highly suspicious of the sisters' involvement. Desperate to clear their names from the suspect list, Sydney pounces on the investigation. With the help of one of the shelter cats, a savvy orange tabby named Toby, Sydney begins poking her nose into other local businesses whose owners may have benefited from Littleton's death--until the killer notices she's pawing a little too closely at the truth.
Delightfully clever and charming, Purr M for Murder, the first in a new series from nationally bestselling author T. C. LoTempio, will leave readers clawing for more. (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well developed, well rounded, and three dimensional. Sydney loves her sister, Kat, and is willing to work very hard to help make Kat’s animal shelter a huge success. And when a dead body is discovered and Kat is a person of interest, she is willing to do whatever it takes to clear Kat’s name. She does not think twice about jumping into the investigation, trying to find the real killer. Even if snooping puts her in harm’s way, she is determined to find the culprit before Kat is put behind bars. She does have some help from her sister, from Will, one of the homicide detectives assigned to the case, (who happens to be an old crush from high school), and from the rescue cat that Sydney
has adopted, Toby. Toby is the most helpful of all, and I personally think he is a mystical cat. Although this is the first book in the series, I felt like I have known these characters for a long time. I really enjoyed getting to spend time with all of them.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book, I felt like I was right there, watching all of the action taking place and eavesdropping on conversations. She created a small town setting that seemed realistic and was a place I would like to visit. The mystery was carried on well throughout the entire book. There were enough suspects to consider and enough clues and red herrings to make it hard to figure out the real killer.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. I found myself reading this book whenever I could and reading it well into the night, when I should have been sleeping. But it was worth losing sleep over, it was that good.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. It has everything I look for in a cozy: great mystery, great small town setting, great characters and plenty of cats. This is the first book that I have read by this author but I guarantee it will not be my last. I cannot wait to read the next one in this series and I plan on reading her other series. She is one of my new favorite authors.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this great book.
A Cat Rescue Mystery, Book #1
T. C. LoTempio
5+ Stars
Synopsis:
Sydney McCall left behind an ex-fiancé and a New York advertising job to return home to Deer Park, North Carolina and help her sister, Kat, run the local animal shelter, Friendly Paws. Determined to save the shelter from financial trouble, Sydney and Kat organize a cat café fundraising event at a local coffee shop. Things are looking up until their landlord, Trowbridge Littleton, threatens to shut down the event. When Sydney drops by his art gallery to make peace, she finds Kat--along with Littleton's dead body.
Local homicide detective Will Worthington--who just happens to be Sydney's old high school crush--is highly suspicious of the sisters' involvement. Desperate to clear their names from the suspect list, Sydney pounces on the investigation. With the help of one of the shelter cats, a savvy orange tabby named Toby, Sydney begins poking her nose into other local businesses whose owners may have benefited from Littleton's death--until the killer notices she's pawing a little too closely at the truth.
Delightfully clever and charming, Purr M for Murder, the first in a new series from nationally bestselling author T. C. LoTempio, will leave readers clawing for more. (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well developed, well rounded, and three dimensional. Sydney loves her sister, Kat, and is willing to work very hard to help make Kat’s animal shelter a huge success. And when a dead body is discovered and Kat is a person of interest, she is willing to do whatever it takes to clear Kat’s name. She does not think twice about jumping into the investigation, trying to find the real killer. Even if snooping puts her in harm’s way, she is determined to find the culprit before Kat is put behind bars. She does have some help from her sister, from Will, one of the homicide detectives assigned to the case, (who happens to be an old crush from high school), and from the rescue cat that Sydney
has adopted, Toby. Toby is the most helpful of all, and I personally think he is a mystical cat. Although this is the first book in the series, I felt like I have known these characters for a long time. I really enjoyed getting to spend time with all of them.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book, I felt like I was right there, watching all of the action taking place and eavesdropping on conversations. She created a small town setting that seemed realistic and was a place I would like to visit. The mystery was carried on well throughout the entire book. There were enough suspects to consider and enough clues and red herrings to make it hard to figure out the real killer.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. I found myself reading this book whenever I could and reading it well into the night, when I should have been sleeping. But it was worth losing sleep over, it was that good.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. It has everything I look for in a cozy: great mystery, great small town setting, great characters and plenty of cats. This is the first book that I have read by this author but I guarantee it will not be my last. I cannot wait to read the next one in this series and I plan on reading her other series. She is one of my new favorite authors.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this great book.
February 7, 2017
After a relationship fell apart, Sydney McCall is back home in Deer Park, North Carolina to be the publicity director at her sister's animal shelter. Her plan to run a cat cafe at a friend's bakery. But Trowbridge Littleton who happens to own an art gallery nearby and is the local rich person thinks a cat cafe will be bad for everyone's business.
When Syd and her sister Kat go to reason with him at his gallery, they find him dead and still warm. Syd has always wanted to be a detective and gets right on the case. Her incentive is that Kat is looking like the number one suspect. It doesn't take long for Syd to uncover a bunch of other suspects from the wife, to the stepson, to a few of Littleton's ex-lovers, to his business partner, and to most of the other shopkeepers who are Littleton's tenants.
The new detective in town - Will Worthington - was a good friend of hers in high school but they lost track as they went off to college tries his best to discourage her. But Syd is determined and finds a number of clues that are useful to Will.
Another big part of this story has to do with Syd's new feline companion. Toby has been living at the shelter for a while waiting for his perfect person. He's decided that Syd is that person. There are lots of cute cat moments as Toby and Syd interact. He also helps her find some clues.
This was fun. I liked Syd. I liked the small town setting. I see possibilities for Syd and Will to rekindle their relationship and work together to solve mysteries in future books.
When Syd and her sister Kat go to reason with him at his gallery, they find him dead and still warm. Syd has always wanted to be a detective and gets right on the case. Her incentive is that Kat is looking like the number one suspect. It doesn't take long for Syd to uncover a bunch of other suspects from the wife, to the stepson, to a few of Littleton's ex-lovers, to his business partner, and to most of the other shopkeepers who are Littleton's tenants.
The new detective in town - Will Worthington - was a good friend of hers in high school but they lost track as they went off to college tries his best to discourage her. But Syd is determined and finds a number of clues that are useful to Will.
Another big part of this story has to do with Syd's new feline companion. Toby has been living at the shelter for a while waiting for his perfect person. He's decided that Syd is that person. There are lots of cute cat moments as Toby and Syd interact. He also helps her find some clues.
This was fun. I liked Syd. I liked the small town setting. I see possibilities for Syd and Will to rekindle their relationship and work together to solve mysteries in future books.
March 17, 2017
In Purr M For Murder, the first book in A Cat Rescue Mystery Series, author TC LoTempio weaves an intriguing cozy mystery tale that follows the amateur sleuth adventures of Sydney McCall and her sidekick shelter cat named Toby. Sydney and sister Kat find themselves suspects in the murder of their landlord, Trowbridge Littleton, and Sydney is determined to clear their name and find the real killer.
Set in Deer Park, North Carolina, Sydney Mc Call moves back home from New York after breaking up with her ex-fiance to help her sister Kat save Friendly Paws, the local animal shelter that she runs. Sydney and Kat organize a cat cafe fundraiser event to help the financially troubled animal shelter. But when their landlord Trowbridge Littleton threatens to shut down the event, things go from bad to worse when Sydney goes to talk to Trowbridge at his art gallery, and finds Kat already there standing next to his dead body. When Sydney's old high school crush local homicide detective Will Worthington adds Sydney and Kat to the suspect list, Sydney is determined to find the real killer and clear their name with the help of a furry shelter feline named Toby.
Purr M For Murder is a captivating and fast-paced cozy whodunit tale that has enough quirky characters (human and animal), witty banter and humor, drama, danger, a growing list of suspects, romance, and intriguing twists and turns that will keep you engaged and guessing as Sydney's amateur sleuth adventure unfolds with a climatic ending that will leave you wanting more! I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I enjoyed Sydney's delightful furry feline companion Toby, who chooses Sydney as his person and helps her find clues along the way. Toby gets two paws up! I can't wait to read the next book in this delightful new cozy mystery series!
Purr M For Murder is a purrfectly delightful cozy murder mystery that pet lovers will enjoy reading!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
Set in Deer Park, North Carolina, Sydney Mc Call moves back home from New York after breaking up with her ex-fiance to help her sister Kat save Friendly Paws, the local animal shelter that she runs. Sydney and Kat organize a cat cafe fundraiser event to help the financially troubled animal shelter. But when their landlord Trowbridge Littleton threatens to shut down the event, things go from bad to worse when Sydney goes to talk to Trowbridge at his art gallery, and finds Kat already there standing next to his dead body. When Sydney's old high school crush local homicide detective Will Worthington adds Sydney and Kat to the suspect list, Sydney is determined to find the real killer and clear their name with the help of a furry shelter feline named Toby.
Purr M For Murder is a captivating and fast-paced cozy whodunit tale that has enough quirky characters (human and animal), witty banter and humor, drama, danger, a growing list of suspects, romance, and intriguing twists and turns that will keep you engaged and guessing as Sydney's amateur sleuth adventure unfolds with a climatic ending that will leave you wanting more! I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I enjoyed Sydney's delightful furry feline companion Toby, who chooses Sydney as his person and helps her find clues along the way. Toby gets two paws up! I can't wait to read the next book in this delightful new cozy mystery series!
Purr M For Murder is a purrfectly delightful cozy murder mystery that pet lovers will enjoy reading!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
April 18, 2017
The first in a new series.
Sydney McCall has come home to Deer Park, North Carolina to be the PR director of her sister Kat's animal shelter. But when the town bigwig threatens to raise rents and try to force the shelter out of business, Kat doesn't take it too well. Next the bigwig dies Kat becomes a suspect, and Sydney works to clear her sister's name.
This is the first in a new series by T.C. LoTempio. I thought the book was a little slow at first, and I put it down for a few days. When I picked it back up I zipped right through it, even though it is a tried and true plot of girl moves away from small town, girl comes home from big town, murder occurs and she makes contact with old boyfriend, who is now a cop.
I really liked the characters in this book. Sydney is strong, and so is Kat. What I liked the most is Sydney had to work to solve the puzzle. The clues were there, but not over done. At the end I saw what I'd missed, which made me enjoy the solution that much more. There is a budding romance in this novel, but it doesn't push its way so far into the story that you might think of this as what a friend of mine terms romance disguised as a mystery. This is definitely a mystery with a little romance thrown in.
And, of course, there is one other character that needs to be mentioned...Toby the rescue cat. I really liked him, and the way he featured in the tale.
Looking forward to the next one in this series.
Sydney McCall has come home to Deer Park, North Carolina to be the PR director of her sister Kat's animal shelter. But when the town bigwig threatens to raise rents and try to force the shelter out of business, Kat doesn't take it too well. Next the bigwig dies Kat becomes a suspect, and Sydney works to clear her sister's name.
This is the first in a new series by T.C. LoTempio. I thought the book was a little slow at first, and I put it down for a few days. When I picked it back up I zipped right through it, even though it is a tried and true plot of girl moves away from small town, girl comes home from big town, murder occurs and she makes contact with old boyfriend, who is now a cop.
I really liked the characters in this book. Sydney is strong, and so is Kat. What I liked the most is Sydney had to work to solve the puzzle. The clues were there, but not over done. At the end I saw what I'd missed, which made me enjoy the solution that much more. There is a budding romance in this novel, but it doesn't push its way so far into the story that you might think of this as what a friend of mine terms romance disguised as a mystery. This is definitely a mystery with a little romance thrown in.
And, of course, there is one other character that needs to be mentioned...Toby the rescue cat. I really liked him, and the way he featured in the tale.
Looking forward to the next one in this series.
February 4, 2018
I love cat mysteries, and this one was especially intriguing. I have read this author before and like this new series she is beginning. The characters are interesting, and the plot was well developed. This series involves two sisters working in a cat rescue shelter in NC--Kat as the director and Syd as the publicity director. A man who opposed the shelter is murdered, and Kat is a suspect. Syd decides to investigate to save her sister. The amateur detective, assisted by Toby, the orange cat she had adopted from the shelter, has numerous adventures as she tracks down the clues and suspects. This was an enjoyable read, and I look forward to the next one. I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and read it the day I received it--always an indicator that I liked it!
May 15, 2017
Per essere perfetta questa lettura mancava solo che la mia gatta si acciambellasse accanto a me...
Scherzi a parte, il libro mi è piaciuto: la protagonista è davvero troppo curiosa, ma almeno ha la scusa che avrebbe voluto fare la poliziotta e ci ha rinuciato per compiacere la madre. Poi c'è Toby, un gatto vagabondo davvero simpatico. E una possibile storia d'amore all'orizzonte...
Scherzi a parte, il libro mi è piaciuto: la protagonista è davvero troppo curiosa, ma almeno ha la scusa che avrebbe voluto fare la poliziotta e ci ha rinuciato per compiacere la madre. Poi c'è Toby, un gatto vagabondo davvero simpatico. E una possibile storia d'amore all'orizzonte...
March 10, 2017
I'm a HUGE fan of this author's Nick and Nora series, so I was thrilled to learn she was releasing a new series. As hard as it may be to believe, I think I'm going to love this one even more. The cat shelter, and the fact that it is no-kill, are predominant parts of the story, which makes it near and dear to my heart as a cat lover.
Like Nick in the other series, there is a cat who plays a part in helping Sydney solve the murder...Toby the orange tabby, who is definitely working his way into my heart as well.
We also get the hint of romance between Syd and the new detective in town, Will Worthington, who was a friend of hers in school.
The cast of supporting characters is well-developed as well, and I look forward to getting to know more about them as well as Syd, Kat and Will.
The plot is well-written, and although I had several suspicions about the murderer throughout the book, I wasn't totally sure until the actual reveal. Already can't wait to read the next book in the series.
**I received a copy of this book through NetGalley with no expectation of a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**
Like Nick in the other series, there is a cat who plays a part in helping Sydney solve the murder...Toby the orange tabby, who is definitely working his way into my heart as well.
We also get the hint of romance between Syd and the new detective in town, Will Worthington, who was a friend of hers in school.
The cast of supporting characters is well-developed as well, and I look forward to getting to know more about them as well as Syd, Kat and Will.
The plot is well-written, and although I had several suspicions about the murderer throughout the book, I wasn't totally sure until the actual reveal. Already can't wait to read the next book in the series.
**I received a copy of this book through NetGalley with no expectation of a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**
February 25, 2017
Purr M For Murder is the first book in the, A Cat Rescue Mystery series. I am thrilled that I had the opportunity to read this book through Netgalley. I enjoy cozy mysteries because they are nice, clean stories with a twist and usually all the pieces are wrapped up tightly in the end. This author more than met my expectations with a book full of characters that were well developed, and likeable. While the ending was completely unexpected, and I definitely couldn’t guess who the murderer was, the story held my interest the entire way through the book.
I think this series will definitely be a winning one, and I recommend this book.
I think this series will definitely be a winning one, and I recommend this book.
December 12, 2016
Princess Fuzzypants here:
Momma and I have just finished reading the first book in a new series. It is Purr M for Murder by my furriend, Toni LoTempio.
I must put in a disclaimer from the top: Toni tells meow that I will be a character in the next book of the series, so I was really excited to read the book. I love the books that she and Rocco write about Nick and Nora so I figured this would be really good too.
I was not disappointed.
I liked the humans, especially Syd, who seems like a very intuitive person. She does skate on thin ice at times in getting involved with things she should leave alone but when her sister is the prime suspect for the murder of a very unpleasant man, what's a girl to do. She grew up on Nancy Drew so she figures she can solve the crime.
Pfft! She does not stand a chance until she is adopted by a very smart, handsome and charming feline, Toby. He is known as the wanderer in the shelter where Syd and her sister work. Everyone says he is waiting for his purrfect human. When he and Syd unite, they are a pawsome team.
I enjoyed the read with just enough suspense to keep things interesting and lots and lots of cats. It had me purring loudly as I read of all the adoptions. Cats adopting humans that is, but we all know that.
I am delighted to award this my full five purrs and two paws up.
Momma and I have just finished reading the first book in a new series. It is Purr M for Murder by my furriend, Toni LoTempio.
I must put in a disclaimer from the top: Toni tells meow that I will be a character in the next book of the series, so I was really excited to read the book. I love the books that she and Rocco write about Nick and Nora so I figured this would be really good too.
I was not disappointed.
I liked the humans, especially Syd, who seems like a very intuitive person. She does skate on thin ice at times in getting involved with things she should leave alone but when her sister is the prime suspect for the murder of a very unpleasant man, what's a girl to do. She grew up on Nancy Drew so she figures she can solve the crime.
Pfft! She does not stand a chance until she is adopted by a very smart, handsome and charming feline, Toby. He is known as the wanderer in the shelter where Syd and her sister work. Everyone says he is waiting for his purrfect human. When he and Syd unite, they are a pawsome team.
I enjoyed the read with just enough suspense to keep things interesting and lots and lots of cats. It had me purring loudly as I read of all the adoptions. Cats adopting humans that is, but we all know that.
I am delighted to award this my full five purrs and two paws up.
January 1, 2017
This was the first book I have read by this author and I was pleasantly surprised that I could not put the book down! I love it when in a book the author lays out the tone and intrigue right at the beginning to keep me engaged and the author definitely did that in spades.
We meet Syd and her sister Kat whom are both working at the local animal shelter. Sad moved back home to escape her life in the big city and is attempting to assist her sister drum up support and donations for the animal shelter by signing on as a publicity consultant. Her first major fete is a cat cafe at the local coffee shop to hopefully give some of the cats a chance to be adopted, increase donations and awareness for the shelter, and help the coffee shop increase sales. Of course, there has to be someone to attempt to thwart them, and he comes in the shape of one Trowbridge Littleton.
When trying early one morning to get him to see reason, Syd and Kat come across Trowbridge murdered and they are thrust right into the investigation as the main people of interest.
This book definitely kept you guessing on who the murderer really was. It seemed the author tied everyone up with a perfect bow so you had no one to suspect but the sisters. All in all this book was definitely a good time, hard to put down, and leaves you waiting in anticipation for the next installment.
We meet Syd and her sister Kat whom are both working at the local animal shelter. Sad moved back home to escape her life in the big city and is attempting to assist her sister drum up support and donations for the animal shelter by signing on as a publicity consultant. Her first major fete is a cat cafe at the local coffee shop to hopefully give some of the cats a chance to be adopted, increase donations and awareness for the shelter, and help the coffee shop increase sales. Of course, there has to be someone to attempt to thwart them, and he comes in the shape of one Trowbridge Littleton.
When trying early one morning to get him to see reason, Syd and Kat come across Trowbridge murdered and they are thrust right into the investigation as the main people of interest.
This book definitely kept you guessing on who the murderer really was. It seemed the author tied everyone up with a perfect bow so you had no one to suspect but the sisters. All in all this book was definitely a good time, hard to put down, and leaves you waiting in anticipation for the next installment.
May 11, 2017
*I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway*
I applied for this book after laughing at the punny title for a good long while. As a cat lover and avid reader, I figured, why not? Well, I won but still had no idea what to expect.
This book is essentially the book equivalent of a Hallmark movie mystery. Not everyone's taste, but I really got some enjoyment out of it. I generally read really serious and heart-racing mysteries so this was a nice change. I loved that it was centered around a shelter and other small businesses in this town.
Syd, the main character, has just moved back to town and is helping her sister at the shelter with an event. They meet an opponent to the event and town bully early on. But things get interesting when he turns up dead. Syd almost recklessly throws herself into the heart of the mystery trying to solve it. It probably wasn't the safest thing, but as the reader is at a safe distance it was fun to find out the answers along with her. Other than her love for Nancy Drew and romantic interest in the new detective in town - Syd is a rather 2 dimensional character. But this wasn't the kind of book where I expected to have that.
I enjoyed the story unraveling and the way you find out about different characters and what their motives might be. Overall, it was a fun, light mystery with a bonus - cats!
I applied for this book after laughing at the punny title for a good long while. As a cat lover and avid reader, I figured, why not? Well, I won but still had no idea what to expect.
This book is essentially the book equivalent of a Hallmark movie mystery. Not everyone's taste, but I really got some enjoyment out of it. I generally read really serious and heart-racing mysteries so this was a nice change. I loved that it was centered around a shelter and other small businesses in this town.
Syd, the main character, has just moved back to town and is helping her sister at the shelter with an event. They meet an opponent to the event and town bully early on. But things get interesting when he turns up dead. Syd almost recklessly throws herself into the heart of the mystery trying to solve it. It probably wasn't the safest thing, but as the reader is at a safe distance it was fun to find out the answers along with her. Other than her love for Nancy Drew and romantic interest in the new detective in town - Syd is a rather 2 dimensional character. But this wasn't the kind of book where I expected to have that.
I enjoyed the story unraveling and the way you find out about different characters and what their motives might be. Overall, it was a fun, light mystery with a bonus - cats!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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