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Cats, Ghosts and Avocado Toast #1
A Thrift Shop Murder
A Hilariously Witchy Reverse Harem Romance Mystery
One ghost with a grudge, three cats with a secret, and one vegan with a very big problem.
What has two legs, brown hair, and the worst luck in the universe? Yeah, you guessed it--me.
First, my (vile) childhood sweetheart dumped me a month before our wedding so he could hook up with a model. Then, my smoothie store burned to the ground. Out of work and out of love, I accepted the first job I could find, packed my bags, and hopped on a bus from Portland to Salem, Oregon, only to find that my new boss had died, and the old lady's thrift store, apartment, and three huge male cats just got added to my long list of problems.
And when I thought my luck couldn't possibly get any worse, I opened one of the old lady's books and accidentally unleashed some witchy magic, turning the cats back into their human form.
I thought looking after three cats and a thrift shop was going to be hard work, but trying to control three hot men and a foul-mouthed ghost might just drive me out of my mind!
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: A Thrift Shop Murder is book one in a four-part fun, fanciful paranormal reverse harem mystery series packed with humor, sexy men, rude ghost grandmas, and steamy scenes. This is the AFTER DARK edition of the series, which contains NSFW content, adult scenes, and additional chapters written from the male characters point of view.
One ghost with a grudge, three cats with a secret, and one vegan with a very big problem.
What has two legs, brown hair, and the worst luck in the universe? Yeah, you guessed it--me.
First, my (vile) childhood sweetheart dumped me a month before our wedding so he could hook up with a model. Then, my smoothie store burned to the ground. Out of work and out of love, I accepted the first job I could find, packed my bags, and hopped on a bus from Portland to Salem, Oregon, only to find that my new boss had died, and the old lady's thrift store, apartment, and three huge male cats just got added to my long list of problems.
And when I thought my luck couldn't possibly get any worse, I opened one of the old lady's books and accidentally unleashed some witchy magic, turning the cats back into their human form.
I thought looking after three cats and a thrift shop was going to be hard work, but trying to control three hot men and a foul-mouthed ghost might just drive me out of my mind!
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: A Thrift Shop Murder is book one in a four-part fun, fanciful paranormal reverse harem mystery series packed with humor, sexy men, rude ghost grandmas, and steamy scenes. This is the AFTER DARK edition of the series, which contains NSFW content, adult scenes, and additional chapters written from the male characters point of view.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 30, 2018
969 people are currently reading
611 people want to read
About the author
N.M. Howell
21 books84 followersN.M. Howell is a USA Today bestselling author and all-around nerd from the Pacific Northwest. She has an obsession with coffee, spicy food, and the rain, and she absolutely hates sleeves. (Seriously, they're like little fabric prisons!) When not locked away in her writing cave, you'll likely find her either wandering the world, lost in the woods, or fighting with her micro-wolf pup over who gets the best spot on the couch. Hint: the dog wins.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
April 1, 2018
Cozy mystery meets RH.
Clean romance and the h has a history of being a doormat, which was annoying:(
3.5 stars
Clean romance and the h has a history of being a doormat, which was annoying:(
3.5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2021
Pages: 264
My rating: 3.5
Read other books by this author in the future: yes
MC: Pricilla Jones (Price), Ginger Cat = Muffin=Finlay=Finn, Black Cat = Fluffy=Tom, Tabby Cat = Pussy=???
SC: Agatha Bentley (Thrift Shop owner), Tracy, Gerard (Ex-boyfriend), Ivana (New girlfriend of Gerard), Bianca D‘Arcy, Dot Murphy (owner bakery), Frankie (Ex -Assistant), Harlow (Agathas cousin), Officer Bert Fitzgerald (Police Officer)
This book is a slow burn rh murder mystery. It was the book of the month in the RHR group. I liked it okay. Normally murder mystery is not a genre that I read, but I wanted to try it. It was light hearted and a nice read. It was entertaining, but I was not really in the mood to read this book, so it took me a while to finish it.
August 23, 2019
This is a cute beach-type read. More cute than funny. Simple not complex. I enjoyed it but it doesn't have a lot of story and uses lots of stereotypes. But it is a rather unique set of characters and hints at a more complex back-story setting up for the series.
dnf__no-rating
May 19, 2021🍏 February BotM @ Reverse Harem Revolution 🍏
DNF @ Page 20 (Ch.3 - 8%)
September 14, 2019
Questo libro è uno di quei libri che vanno bene quando si ha voglia di staccare la spina e prendersi un paio di ore per distrarsi un po'. E' scorrevole, è divertente ed è anche originale. Ma manca completamente di trama e approfondimento dei personaggi.
Non è che sia una cosa completamente negativa, perché mi sono davvero goduta questa lettura e, soprattutto, mi sono divertita davvero parecchio. I dialoghi sono esilaranti e i personaggi, per quanto poco approfonditi, hanno tutti un certo fascino. Aggie, la "dolce" vecchietta che ha lasciato tutti i suoi beni a Price, la nostra protagonista, senza conoscerla e che noi conosciamo nelle vesti di fantasma, porta quasi all'estremo il cliché di vecchia scorbutica, e i risultati sono, di tanto in tanto, esilaranti. Per non parlare poi dei suoi gatti! Sono gatti parlanti e, come se questo non bastasse, hanno un'altra piccola caratteristica che li rende del tutto unici. Ma non posso dire di più senza rovinarvi la sorpresa. Vi basti sapere che è deliziosa e che io adesso necessito di quei gatti. Subito!!! Price, che non è che abbia chissà quale risplendente personalità (è abbastanza insipida e senza polso, almeno per i miei gusti) si trova a dover scoprire chi abbia davvero assassinato Aggie, anche perché se non lo scopre in fretta rischia di venir accusata lei stessa dell'omicidio. Di base questa è la trama. Ma come detective è abbastanza scarsa, non fa praticamente niente se non girare senza scopo e parlare a caso con gente a caso. E alla fine scopre il colpevole, sì, ma non si sa come.
Quindi, va benissimo come lettura "da spiaggia", per staccare la spina un paio d'ore e farlo in maniera divertente ma... ma niente di più!
Non è che sia una cosa completamente negativa, perché mi sono davvero goduta questa lettura e, soprattutto, mi sono divertita davvero parecchio. I dialoghi sono esilaranti e i personaggi, per quanto poco approfonditi, hanno tutti un certo fascino. Aggie, la "dolce" vecchietta che ha lasciato tutti i suoi beni a Price, la nostra protagonista, senza conoscerla e che noi conosciamo nelle vesti di fantasma, porta quasi all'estremo il cliché di vecchia scorbutica, e i risultati sono, di tanto in tanto, esilaranti. Per non parlare poi dei suoi gatti! Sono gatti parlanti e, come se questo non bastasse, hanno un'altra piccola caratteristica che li rende del tutto unici. Ma non posso dire di più senza rovinarvi la sorpresa. Vi basti sapere che è deliziosa e che io adesso necessito di quei gatti. Subito!!! Price, che non è che abbia chissà quale risplendente personalità (è abbastanza insipida e senza polso, almeno per i miei gusti) si trova a dover scoprire chi abbia davvero assassinato Aggie, anche perché se non lo scopre in fretta rischia di venir accusata lei stessa dell'omicidio. Di base questa è la trama. Ma come detective è abbastanza scarsa, non fa praticamente niente se non girare senza scopo e parlare a caso con gente a caso. E alla fine scopre il colpevole, sì, ma non si sa come.
Quindi, va benissimo come lettura "da spiaggia", per staccare la spina un paio d'ore e farlo in maniera divertente ma... ma niente di più!
July 3, 2018
You can also read my review here:https://devouringbooks2017.wordpress....
A Thrift Shop Murder was a humorous paranormal mystery. It was amusing and full of interesting characters. I enjoyed the small town setting and the talking cats that shifted in the human men. The gossipy old ladies really added to the small-town vibe. As far as mysteries go, this did not have any plot twists that astounded me and it wasn't real page turner. It was more of a humorous novel than anything.
I really liked the talking cats that shifted into men. It made me wonder what my dogs would be like as people. I didn't realize this was marketed as a reverse harem novel, I guess it is, but without the sex. I'm not really big on reading erotica, so I'm glad it didn't go that way. The three men were all interesting and different. Their jokes definitely added to the humor of the novel.
The plot was interesting and a little weird, but didn't always hold my interest. It took me a while to finish this book because I kept setting it down to do other things. I didn't like the way it ended at all. I also felt like there should have been more magic, that would have made it a more interesting book in my opinion. It was just lacking something.
This was just a book that didn't stand out to me. At times it was funny, but it didn't hold my interest. The mystery had no twists and no part of the book really blew me away. It was okay I guess, but it's not a book I would suggest to friends of mine.
A Thrift Shop Murder was a humorous paranormal mystery. It was amusing and full of interesting characters. I enjoyed the small town setting and the talking cats that shifted in the human men. The gossipy old ladies really added to the small-town vibe. As far as mysteries go, this did not have any plot twists that astounded me and it wasn't real page turner. It was more of a humorous novel than anything.
I really liked the talking cats that shifted into men. It made me wonder what my dogs would be like as people. I didn't realize this was marketed as a reverse harem novel, I guess it is, but without the sex. I'm not really big on reading erotica, so I'm glad it didn't go that way. The three men were all interesting and different. Their jokes definitely added to the humor of the novel.
The plot was interesting and a little weird, but didn't always hold my interest. It took me a while to finish this book because I kept setting it down to do other things. I didn't like the way it ended at all. I also felt like there should have been more magic, that would have made it a more interesting book in my opinion. It was just lacking something.
This was just a book that didn't stand out to me. At times it was funny, but it didn't hold my interest. The mystery had no twists and no part of the book really blew me away. It was okay I guess, but it's not a book I would suggest to friends of mine.
June 4, 2018
A Thrift Shop Murder is the opening book in the Cats, Ghosts and Avocado Toast series – and that tagline captures the gist of it well.
Price (Priscilla, but don’t call her that) has just arrived in Salem, Oregon, to discover that the old lady who hired her as an assistant to run her thrift shop has just died. Strangely, the shop and all its contents are now Price’s problem, even though she never met the former owner, Agatha Bentley.
Price comes with a history – an ex-fiancé who drained her life savings and probably torched her business premises for the insurance money. Heartbroken, and just plain broke, Price has no option but to embrace her new situation, which apart from the shop and the flat above it, includes three huge moggies and (once she finally accepts she isn’t going insane) the rude and belligerent ghost of the witch, Agatha.
Snarky Agatha wants Price to find out who killed her, as she’s convinced her death wasn’t natural causes.
Thus starts a great fun romp, with witty dialogue, well-drawn characters, and the most unusual reverse harem I’ve encountered yet, as the witch’s three moggies go beyond talking to Price, and start shifting into three gorgeous, hot men. Randomly. Shifting. Without clothes…
I will admit, the randomness of the shifting was a distraction I was a bit annoyed about at first as no one seemed to question it, but this is a theme that has carried over into the second book (which I’m currently reading) as they try to figure out why it happens, so fair play to the author.
Fast paced and well written, I’d happily recommend this to anyone who enjoys a light supernatural read with humour and harem. Oh, and a vegan protagonist – hence the avocado toast.
Price (Priscilla, but don’t call her that) has just arrived in Salem, Oregon, to discover that the old lady who hired her as an assistant to run her thrift shop has just died. Strangely, the shop and all its contents are now Price’s problem, even though she never met the former owner, Agatha Bentley.
Price comes with a history – an ex-fiancé who drained her life savings and probably torched her business premises for the insurance money. Heartbroken, and just plain broke, Price has no option but to embrace her new situation, which apart from the shop and the flat above it, includes three huge moggies and (once she finally accepts she isn’t going insane) the rude and belligerent ghost of the witch, Agatha.
Snarky Agatha wants Price to find out who killed her, as she’s convinced her death wasn’t natural causes.
Thus starts a great fun romp, with witty dialogue, well-drawn characters, and the most unusual reverse harem I’ve encountered yet, as the witch’s three moggies go beyond talking to Price, and start shifting into three gorgeous, hot men. Randomly. Shifting. Without clothes…
I will admit, the randomness of the shifting was a distraction I was a bit annoyed about at first as no one seemed to question it, but this is a theme that has carried over into the second book (which I’m currently reading) as they try to figure out why it happens, so fair play to the author.
Fast paced and well written, I’d happily recommend this to anyone who enjoys a light supernatural read with humour and harem. Oh, and a vegan protagonist – hence the avocado toast.
June 1, 2018
I'm so sorry to say that I found this book irritating instead of hilarious. I don't really know why because it's written well enough and the storyline is interesting too. I just couln't get hooked at all and every little thing began to get on my nerves (the names got old really fast, the non answers just kept pilling up, and some of the characters' personalities.... ugg).
Still, this is a good read, and I recomend it. It was just not my day... I guess.
Still, this is a good read, and I recomend it. It was just not my day... I guess.
December 9, 2018
This was An Awesome Read
This book was really good. The characters, the humor, the mystery. Everything. I started reading and couldn't put it down. I'm really picky about my paranormal reads because even though it's fantasy fiction, it has to make sense to me. This novel did that in spades and I loved it. I definitely recommend it.
I'd like to add that there was only a few grammatical errors. Nothing I couldn't figure out.
This book was really good. The characters, the humor, the mystery. Everything. I started reading and couldn't put it down. I'm really picky about my paranormal reads because even though it's fantasy fiction, it has to make sense to me. This novel did that in spades and I loved it. I definitely recommend it.
I'd like to add that there was only a few grammatical errors. Nothing I couldn't figure out.
June 12, 2020
Note: I received this book from the author and I voluntarily give this review, it is my honest opinion.
A Thrift Shop Murder was a new and interesting take on reverse harem for me. I am not new to reverse harem, kinda obsessed, and I have read an L.C. Hibbett book before, actually, I read a reverse harem by her but Thrift Shop Murder is a whole new kinda book for me. I mean, it's a multi-perspective paranormal reverse harem but the guys are three house cats, Price's personality is unique, there is a smart-alec ghost, and it was funny at times.
Price is nice but she kinda gets walked on but grows more confident throughout the book, the guys are cats, with cats names. One of them is name Pussy, I swear I have never come across anything like this before, haha. The other all have cat names and I hate the names and I'm not a cat person but as guys, the ginger is my favorite he is so adorable. I like how the guys are with Price and the commentary between all for is pretty funny.
As for the story, I have only ever really read one murder mystery so this was new to me and interesting. I was able to guess a few things but overall where the story was going and who killed Agatha was a bit of a surprise.
While I did enjoy the story for some reason I couldn't lose myself in the story like I normally would when reading a book and I don't know why. I am interested in the next book but don't know when I would get to it but I'm not writing the series off. If you like paranormal romance and funny reverse harems you might want to check it out.
April 4, 2018
Priscilla “Price” Jones is not having the best time at the moment. Her life is a mess. Her failing dream business burns down, her fiance dumps her to marry a supermodel. He is also keeping all of their assets and needs her to move out of his pool house immediately. Price needs a fresh start, so she takes the first job offer she lands. She agrees to be the assistant manager of a thrift shop. The owner, Agatha will also allow her to live in the store's basement apartment. However, when she gets there she finds out that the owner has died and has willed her store, her apartment, all of her belongings, including three large cats to Price. Unfortunately, this leads to Price being the #1 suspect in the investigation over Agatha's death. As shocking as all of this is, it's nothing compared to the small matter of Agatha's demanding ghost and the presence of three part-time male cats.
A Thrift Shop Murder is a paranormal mystery with a lot of quirkiness. "Whiney little hipster hussy". "Aggravating crass-mouthed granny ghost". "Sexy, sexy house cats". Hilarious descriptions. Agatha's ill-tempered, misbehaving ghost antics, the constant nakedness of the men, and a down-on-her-luck vegan make for quick, fun read. The mystery may be solved by the end (YES!) but there is still so much story left to uncover. Should be full of surprises!
A Thrift Shop Murder is a paranormal mystery with a lot of quirkiness. "Whiney little hipster hussy". "Aggravating crass-mouthed granny ghost". "Sexy, sexy house cats". Hilarious descriptions. Agatha's ill-tempered, misbehaving ghost antics, the constant nakedness of the men, and a down-on-her-luck vegan make for quick, fun read. The mystery may be solved by the end (YES!) but there is still so much story left to uncover. Should be full of surprises!
October 19, 2019
These characters just might drive me nuts!
I’m in two minds about this. A Thrift Shop Murder has an interesting premise with a fun cosy mystery feel to it, but the characters drove me nuts more than once. From Agatha to Price, the Three Meowsketeers to Dot and Bianca. All the characters are highly quirky, emotional, and in the case of the three cats, kinda pervy at times.
However, there was something about the combination of the characters and the plot that was more than a little addictive. So, darn it, I will check out the second book 🤨
3 stars ⭐️
I’m in two minds about this. A Thrift Shop Murder has an interesting premise with a fun cosy mystery feel to it, but the characters drove me nuts more than once. From Agatha to Price, the Three Meowsketeers to Dot and Bianca. All the characters are highly quirky, emotional, and in the case of the three cats, kinda pervy at times.
However, there was something about the combination of the characters and the plot that was more than a little addictive. So, darn it, I will check out the second book 🤨
3 stars ⭐️
August 2, 2018
Amusing fluff
But rather weak on believability. Sure, it's a fantasy with witches, magic spells and transformations, but a murder mystery still needs motives, and a clear resolution rather than a clandestine phone call that makes it go away. Still, it does have a lot of funny moments.
But rather weak on believability. Sure, it's a fantasy with witches, magic spells and transformations, but a murder mystery still needs motives, and a clear resolution rather than a clandestine phone call that makes it go away. Still, it does have a lot of funny moments.
August 24, 2019
Not what I was expecting, but pleasantly surprised
Ok, so I didn't pay too much attention that this was a reverse harem book, but thankfully not over the top. I was worried about orgies but didn't have anything to worry about. The main focus was on the mystery of Agatha's death and who was framing Price. There is definitely more to the cats, but that is a mystery for another book. Not sure I'm good with how the frame up ended, but assume there is a reason for why it ended that way. Detective Bert will eventually learn more is my guess as well. There is actually quite a bit that did not resolved, but overall, this was a good intro to the series. A lot of fluff and naked guys, with a heroine who comes across kind of clueless, but the cats and their history not to mention personalities kept it interesting.
Ok, so I didn't pay too much attention that this was a reverse harem book, but thankfully not over the top. I was worried about orgies but didn't have anything to worry about. The main focus was on the mystery of Agatha's death and who was framing Price. There is definitely more to the cats, but that is a mystery for another book. Not sure I'm good with how the frame up ended, but assume there is a reason for why it ended that way. Detective Bert will eventually learn more is my guess as well. There is actually quite a bit that did not resolved, but overall, this was a good intro to the series. A lot of fluff and naked guys, with a heroine who comes across kind of clueless, but the cats and their history not to mention personalities kept it interesting.
March 28, 2021
Fun light read!
This helped me with my recent mini book slump. I liked the main characters and will come back to read more in the series.
This helped me with my recent mini book slump. I liked the main characters and will come back to read more in the series.
June 18, 2019
You know what, I actually had some fun reading this. I wasn't sure what I was going to get into based on reviews but I'm glad I gave it a go.
Usually the MC is the type of character I can't stand, and she was at first. Whiny, air headed, and a little too health nutty. But then I realized I was the one judging too harshly. Her reactions make sense. and so does her behavior given the kind of past and life style she's used to. There is a bit of a character metamorphosis in the undertaking for her that I hope will continue. Little less naive, more trusting in herself. I still find the juice bar, yoga pilates, and other hipster type stuff a little grating and distracting from the plot but I think it's only because I'm not used to that sort of world/culture. I'm glad the book takes a light hearted spin to things and doesn't take too much too seriously.
Really enjoying the layered mysteries, and I think the second one will be better than the first now that the introductory type stuff is out of the way.
Usually the MC is the type of character I can't stand, and she was at first. Whiny, air headed, and a little too health nutty. But then I realized I was the one judging too harshly. Her reactions make sense. and so does her behavior given the kind of past and life style she's used to. There is a bit of a character metamorphosis in the undertaking for her that I hope will continue. Little less naive, more trusting in herself. I still find the juice bar, yoga pilates, and other hipster type stuff a little grating and distracting from the plot but I think it's only because I'm not used to that sort of world/culture. I'm glad the book takes a light hearted spin to things and doesn't take too much too seriously.
Really enjoying the layered mysteries, and I think the second one will be better than the first now that the introductory type stuff is out of the way.
October 7, 2018
Ouch.
I feel sorry for the MC, although how she didn’t suspect the ex I don’t know. Three spelled cats and a ghost are what she’s left to contend with. It was silly but not on the funny side. I dunno guess the humour just felt a little forced. Will probably read the next one after the first three chapters of the next one or just to learn the damn cat’s name and find out if the ex ever gets his comeuppance.
I feel sorry for the MC, although how she didn’t suspect the ex I don’t know. Three spelled cats and a ghost are what she’s left to contend with. It was silly but not on the funny side. I dunno guess the humour just felt a little forced. Will probably read the next one after the first three chapters of the next one or just to learn the damn cat’s name and find out if the ex ever gets his comeuppance.
June 13, 2020
A Thrift Shop Murder is a paranormal (cozy type) reverse harem romance-comedy with snarky banter, a rude grandma-type ghost, a clueless gal, three huge cats who turn into hot guys, magic and mayhem, murder, mystery, lots of shenanigans, and some sexy time.
Price (Priscilla) is down on her luck – she literally has nothing to her name. She was dumped by her fiancé shortly before their wedding, her juice/smoothie bar business is toast, and she has no money. Desperate for a new start she accepts a job over the phone for a thrift shop assistant in Salem, Oregon packs her bags and jumps on the bus. Hoping this will be the change she needs to turn her life around, she is surprised to find herself attending a funeral immediately upon her arrival and worse yet, it’s for the lady who hired her. Devastated and back to square one with not a cent to her name and nowhere to go she gets a huge surprise when she finds out everything her deceased boss owned now belongs to her – the apartment she was going to rent, the old lady’s thrift store and her three cats.
While she’s trying to make sense of it all and decide what to do, strange things start happening that defy logic…ghosts, magic, and talking cats?!...right! To make matters worse she finds a book and unleashes magic that turns the cats into gorgeous men upon her touch. Now things really get awkward with cats turning into men at complete inopportune moments.
The old lady’s ghost wants Price to solve her murder, the three cats/men want to help (for their old owner and for themselves hoping it will turn them human again, permanently), and Price finds herself in a sticky situation suddenly inheriting the woman’s possessions turning into a murder suspect herself.
Price has a big heart and wants to help everyone, including herself. If she can solve the murder, fulfill the old woman’s wishes, and help the men maybe she will find her new start after all and possibly a new family and love. She’s halfway their mixed up in all their antics and their close-quarters living. Now to just clear her name and start over…sounds easy, right? Too bad everything is not as it seems.
This is an interesting, funny murder mystery with multiple POVs and though the murder is solved, there are still many questions that need answers and some unfinished business for a ghost so this book sort of ends on a cliffhanger and sort of does not; you’ll see, but it will definitely lead into the next book in the series. There were a few parts that were a bit much for me and a tad uncomfortable, but that was me. Not everything is for everyone. Overall though, it was a fun book to read.
*I received an arc from the author and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
Price (Priscilla) is down on her luck – she literally has nothing to her name. She was dumped by her fiancé shortly before their wedding, her juice/smoothie bar business is toast, and she has no money. Desperate for a new start she accepts a job over the phone for a thrift shop assistant in Salem, Oregon packs her bags and jumps on the bus. Hoping this will be the change she needs to turn her life around, she is surprised to find herself attending a funeral immediately upon her arrival and worse yet, it’s for the lady who hired her. Devastated and back to square one with not a cent to her name and nowhere to go she gets a huge surprise when she finds out everything her deceased boss owned now belongs to her – the apartment she was going to rent, the old lady’s thrift store and her three cats.
While she’s trying to make sense of it all and decide what to do, strange things start happening that defy logic…ghosts, magic, and talking cats?!...right! To make matters worse she finds a book and unleashes magic that turns the cats into gorgeous men upon her touch. Now things really get awkward with cats turning into men at complete inopportune moments.
The old lady’s ghost wants Price to solve her murder, the three cats/men want to help (for their old owner and for themselves hoping it will turn them human again, permanently), and Price finds herself in a sticky situation suddenly inheriting the woman’s possessions turning into a murder suspect herself.
Price has a big heart and wants to help everyone, including herself. If she can solve the murder, fulfill the old woman’s wishes, and help the men maybe she will find her new start after all and possibly a new family and love. She’s halfway their mixed up in all their antics and their close-quarters living. Now to just clear her name and start over…sounds easy, right? Too bad everything is not as it seems.
This is an interesting, funny murder mystery with multiple POVs and though the murder is solved, there are still many questions that need answers and some unfinished business for a ghost so this book sort of ends on a cliffhanger and sort of does not; you’ll see, but it will definitely lead into the next book in the series. There were a few parts that were a bit much for me and a tad uncomfortable, but that was me. Not everything is for everyone. Overall though, it was a fun book to read.
*I received an arc from the author and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
April 13, 2018
Don't let the three stars fool you, I loved this book! I took off one star because it's just too darn short. I wanted another 50-100 pages at least. The other star was removed because the end wrapped up just too quickly and neatly. I will definitely be continuing with this series and hoping it lasts for many more books.
This is a newer series that is a collaboration between N.M. Howell & L.C. Hibbett, two authors that I had never heard of before reading this book. I will be checking out their individual work though, because I really had fun reading this fast paced mystery with decent world-building and a good dose of humor.
Price Jones has had a bad time recently. Her dream of owning a juice bar destroyed in a fire, her ex-boyfriend getting engaged to his new girlfriend and kicking Price out of the pool house she had been living in, and now she tries to make a new start in Salem only to find out her boss has died and left everything to her. It's strange enough that most people would retreat home and try to sort it all out, but Price can't. She has nowhere to go, no close family or friends, and no money. Also, it isn't long before her boss' ghost and three talking cats convince her she needs to stay, not only to help them, but to clear herself of being a suspect in the murder.
The cats were just hilarious, adorable, and too good to be true in the best way! Price was darling as the reluctant fish out of water, and the thrift shop/apartment sounded completely charming and fun.
This was just such a fun read. I enjoyed the characters, the community of Salem Oregon, and I loved the three cats. I'm very much looking forward to book two! I also want to give some love to that cover, because it's beautiful!
I will say that some plot points for future books feel a bit obvious, I won't spoil them, but I can see where a few things are going already. But my biggest complaint is that the ending was rushed. It felt like everything was moving along well and then bam, over. The abruptness made certain details less believable or confusing. Another couple chapters explaining things and building some side characters would have made it just perfect.
This is a newer series that is a collaboration between N.M. Howell & L.C. Hibbett, two authors that I had never heard of before reading this book. I will be checking out their individual work though, because I really had fun reading this fast paced mystery with decent world-building and a good dose of humor.
Price Jones has had a bad time recently. Her dream of owning a juice bar destroyed in a fire, her ex-boyfriend getting engaged to his new girlfriend and kicking Price out of the pool house she had been living in, and now she tries to make a new start in Salem only to find out her boss has died and left everything to her. It's strange enough that most people would retreat home and try to sort it all out, but Price can't. She has nowhere to go, no close family or friends, and no money. Also, it isn't long before her boss' ghost and three talking cats convince her she needs to stay, not only to help them, but to clear herself of being a suspect in the murder.
The cats were just hilarious, adorable, and too good to be true in the best way! Price was darling as the reluctant fish out of water, and the thrift shop/apartment sounded completely charming and fun.
This was just such a fun read. I enjoyed the characters, the community of Salem Oregon, and I loved the three cats. I'm very much looking forward to book two! I also want to give some love to that cover, because it's beautiful!
I will say that some plot points for future books feel a bit obvious, I won't spoil them, but I can see where a few things are going already. But my biggest complaint is that the ending was rushed. It felt like everything was moving along well and then bam, over. The abruptness made certain details less believable or confusing. Another couple chapters explaining things and building some side characters would have made it just perfect.
April 1, 2018
A Thrift Shop Murder introduces us to Priscilla, Price, who is down on her luck and looking for a new start. As Price says in the book, however, she finds herself jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire. Along with a ghost, three cats, and what has been willed to her, Price is forced to solve a murder mystery. The three men in the story were a little indistinguishable from one another but they will make a good harem. For all the nudity contained within the pages, there is not much hot and heavy action - which I don’t mind, but be forewarned if you’re after steamy scenes this first book in the series contains little steam.
Howell and Hibbet have written a good murder mystery, I changed my mind on who-dun-it a few times but in the end my first guess was near enough correct. I liked the different characters and how they all connect in different ways, very murder mystery like. I also like the brief glimpses into Price’s past, I have a feeling we’ll get to learn more about what happened with her ex and in her childhood as the series progresses.
My biggest complaint with this book would be the grammatical errors. Now, I’m not unused to seeing a few spelling errors and normally they can be ignored, we’re all human after all and a misspelled word or an extra word here or there won’t make or break a story for me. But, I found that there were errors peppered throughout the whole book ranging from a wrong word, such as HER instead of WHERE, to having the use of past tense get confused with the use of present tense. It was enough that it made my reading experience feel a bit disjointed which was disappointing.
A Thrift Shop Murder was a quick funny read. I enjoyed its quirks and it’s spin on witches in Salem, and being a reverse harem just adds points. It has a few grammatical errors but I would still recommend giving this one a go. With a series title of Cats, Ghosts, & Avocado Toast, how could you pass it up?
Howell and Hibbet have written a good murder mystery, I changed my mind on who-dun-it a few times but in the end my first guess was near enough correct. I liked the different characters and how they all connect in different ways, very murder mystery like. I also like the brief glimpses into Price’s past, I have a feeling we’ll get to learn more about what happened with her ex and in her childhood as the series progresses.
My biggest complaint with this book would be the grammatical errors. Now, I’m not unused to seeing a few spelling errors and normally they can be ignored, we’re all human after all and a misspelled word or an extra word here or there won’t make or break a story for me. But, I found that there were errors peppered throughout the whole book ranging from a wrong word, such as HER instead of WHERE, to having the use of past tense get confused with the use of present tense. It was enough that it made my reading experience feel a bit disjointed which was disappointing.
A Thrift Shop Murder was a quick funny read. I enjoyed its quirks and it’s spin on witches in Salem, and being a reverse harem just adds points. It has a few grammatical errors but I would still recommend giving this one a go. With a series title of Cats, Ghosts, & Avocado Toast, how could you pass it up?
June 13, 2020
New start on life takes an unexpected turn.
I'll admit that I read too much and don't review enough. With that being said, I absolutely had to take a few minutes after reading this to show my appreciation to L.C. Hibbett and this amazing book. If you are a fan of mystery, reverse harems, humor, shifters, witches, or any combination of these, this book is sure to keep your attention. Not only is the steam slowly built to keep you on the edge, the storyline is fantastic. Unlike some RH, the sex isn't the main focus in the book. It's like a nice little bonus (although that might change in the second book now that the ball is rolling) to go along with the captivating storyline that the author set up. This is my first L.C. Hibbett book and I just love the characters that she created. Agatha-the crazy, blunt, perverted old granny ghost witch. Pussy/true name to hopefully be revealed in the next book-the flirty, mischievous cat-man who jokes his way out of every situation.
Fluffy/Tom-the tattooed bad boy with the serious demeanor but a soft side for the new human in his life. Muffin/Finn-the shy sweetheart of the group who loves to cook and show his appreciation through small gestures. Price-the FMC who is the most unlucky but also the most deserving of love. Beaten down emotionally for years trying to please, she finally finds a place where she can be happy only for it to turn into a crazy mess. Price and her guys may seem so different at first but once you get further into the book, you realize how similar they are emotionally, how affected they are by the simplest of actions and signs of affection when they weren't used to receiving them before. It's those little things that really tear at your heartstrings. I highly recommend this book. It had me giggling throughout with all of the back and forth banter and the shenanigans that Agatha and the cats got into but also had me feeling a connection to Price after discovering she put everything of herself into her previous relationship only to have the rug yanked out from under her. I know this book may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it had a great mixture of the things I love in it, and me being excited for the next book is a definite understatement. I have high expectations for this series.
I'll admit that I read too much and don't review enough. With that being said, I absolutely had to take a few minutes after reading this to show my appreciation to L.C. Hibbett and this amazing book. If you are a fan of mystery, reverse harems, humor, shifters, witches, or any combination of these, this book is sure to keep your attention. Not only is the steam slowly built to keep you on the edge, the storyline is fantastic. Unlike some RH, the sex isn't the main focus in the book. It's like a nice little bonus (although that might change in the second book now that the ball is rolling) to go along with the captivating storyline that the author set up. This is my first L.C. Hibbett book and I just love the characters that she created. Agatha-the crazy, blunt, perverted old granny ghost witch. Pussy/true name to hopefully be revealed in the next book-the flirty, mischievous cat-man who jokes his way out of every situation.
Fluffy/Tom-the tattooed bad boy with the serious demeanor but a soft side for the new human in his life. Muffin/Finn-the shy sweetheart of the group who loves to cook and show his appreciation through small gestures. Price-the FMC who is the most unlucky but also the most deserving of love. Beaten down emotionally for years trying to please, she finally finds a place where she can be happy only for it to turn into a crazy mess. Price and her guys may seem so different at first but once you get further into the book, you realize how similar they are emotionally, how affected they are by the simplest of actions and signs of affection when they weren't used to receiving them before. It's those little things that really tear at your heartstrings. I highly recommend this book. It had me giggling throughout with all of the back and forth banter and the shenanigans that Agatha and the cats got into but also had me feeling a connection to Price after discovering she put everything of herself into her previous relationship only to have the rug yanked out from under her. I know this book may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it had a great mixture of the things I love in it, and me being excited for the next book is a definite understatement. I have high expectations for this series.
November 8, 2018
A Thrift Shop Murder, Cats, Ghosts, and Avocado Toast, Book #1
by N.M. Howell and L.C. Hibbett
This novel confirms my dislike for co-authored work.
I almost stopped reading this several times in the first few chapters. The promo promised that this was a "hilarious" and "a reverse harem" mystery. The first was fallacious and the second offensively sexist.
It was mildly humorous, but I never found it hilarious. Stephanie Plum is hilarious, The Tome of Bill and The Half-Assed Wizard series are laugh out loud funny. This wasn't.
Then, I didn't really like the main character. She grew on me as the story progressed, but what a wishy-washy character. SMH. The premise was a bit too unbelievable for me: 3 gorgeous men who have been turned into cat familiars, and who have no memory of previous lives as a human? Yeah, that's an eye-roller. There were multiple proofing errors and one idiom that was remarkably different than I'd heard ('borrowing from Billy to pay John' rather than 'rob Peter to pay Paul'). In fact, I looked the Billy/John idiom up and all Google gave me was Peter/Paul.
Other than that, it was a good mystery, which is what kept me reading. The plotting (meh) and pacing went well, there was a good amount of action, and loose ends got tied up well in the end.
Others may like it way better than I did.
by N.M. Howell and L.C. Hibbett
This novel confirms my dislike for co-authored work.
I almost stopped reading this several times in the first few chapters. The promo promised that this was a "hilarious" and "a reverse harem" mystery. The first was fallacious and the second offensively sexist.
It was mildly humorous, but I never found it hilarious. Stephanie Plum is hilarious, The Tome of Bill and The Half-Assed Wizard series are laugh out loud funny. This wasn't.
Then, I didn't really like the main character. She grew on me as the story progressed, but what a wishy-washy character. SMH. The premise was a bit too unbelievable for me: 3 gorgeous men who have been turned into cat familiars, and who have no memory of previous lives as a human? Yeah, that's an eye-roller. There were multiple proofing errors and one idiom that was remarkably different than I'd heard ('borrowing from Billy to pay John' rather than 'rob Peter to pay Paul'). In fact, I looked the Billy/John idiom up and all Google gave me was Peter/Paul.
Other than that, it was a good mystery, which is what kept me reading. The plotting (meh) and pacing went well, there was a good amount of action, and loose ends got tied up well in the end.
Others may like it way better than I did.
February 16, 2023
I don't typically read murder mystery books so I'm a bit out of my genre. The humor was Ok. I enjoyed that each guy had a unique personality which is something RH books can struggle with. Price wasn't really my favorite. Sometimes it's hard for me to relate to someone who takes an excessive doormat approach. Feels rather "poor me" and I just can't subscribe to that. I prefer even my damaged FMCs to have something worth rooting for. It didn't help that during her sleuthing she just bought whatever anyone told her without considering....anything. "He did it". "Ok!". Like, come on dude, think.
Overall: 3.0/5 - I'm going for the next book because it's a quick read and I like the guys and Agatha. Here's hoping...
Overall: 3.0/5 - I'm going for the next book because it's a quick read and I like the guys and Agatha. Here's hoping...
June 30, 2020
Kind of unsatisfying
So it ends on kind of a cliffhanger, and while I normally like cliffhangers there was still so much left unanswered that it felt unsatisfying.
I'll give it that I did get surprised that who I thought was the murderer wasn't, but I was still closer than Price. It was like she wasn't even investigating or just was dense. I figured out who the coven was the second time they appeared in the book. It literally took her finding a newspaper clipping to figure it out(sidenote if the guys knew about that why didn't they mention it before because it definitely would've helped the investigation). But seriously she just came across as so dense because the coven had some not subtle hints. This is more focused on the romance and characters getting to know each other than the actual mystery in my opinion. It did not feel like a murder mystery, especially when a lot of the investigation was just mentioned and not shown.
Slight spoilers below.
Okay but seriously she didn't suspect at least one of the coven members when she has a store called Bewitching Bites?! How was that not a huge red flag?
So it ends on kind of a cliffhanger, and while I normally like cliffhangers there was still so much left unanswered that it felt unsatisfying.
I'll give it that I did get surprised that who I thought was the murderer wasn't, but I was still closer than Price. It was like she wasn't even investigating or just was dense. I figured out who the coven was the second time they appeared in the book. It literally took her finding a newspaper clipping to figure it out(sidenote if the guys knew about that why didn't they mention it before because it definitely would've helped the investigation). But seriously she just came across as so dense because the coven had some not subtle hints. This is more focused on the romance and characters getting to know each other than the actual mystery in my opinion. It did not feel like a murder mystery, especially when a lot of the investigation was just mentioned and not shown.
Slight spoilers below.
Okay but seriously she didn't suspect at least one of the coven members when she has a store called Bewitching Bites?! How was that not a huge red flag?
July 25, 2022
2 Stars
This book is boring. Yes, it’s a mystery. If I wanted a regular murder mystery I’d watch the true crime network. I didn’t care about the mystery. I wasn’t connected with the character whose death we were investigating.
I didn’t connect with the plot, I didn’t connect with the characters. I really didn’t care what happened to any of them, especially not the dead old lady. Who cares why she died? I don’t.
I wanted romance and steam and mystery and lightheartedness.
There was no steam here.
There was no romance here.
This book was awkward and clunky. Why was it clunky? I dunno, but when I think of this book I think of a clunky old lady shoe with a support insert that keeps falling out…
…then that clunky shoe gets kicked down the stairs, the insert falls out, the regular shoe lining falls out and there are clunky old lady shoe pieces everywhere! Then you’re stuck picking up the crappy pieces of the crappy shoe, which smells bad, and trying to put them all back together again!
…but all you want to do is throw the shoe away and wash your hands…
That shoe reminds me of this book: awkward, annoying, tedious, and clunky.
This book is boring. Yes, it’s a mystery. If I wanted a regular murder mystery I’d watch the true crime network. I didn’t care about the mystery. I wasn’t connected with the character whose death we were investigating.
I didn’t connect with the plot, I didn’t connect with the characters. I really didn’t care what happened to any of them, especially not the dead old lady. Who cares why she died? I don’t.
I wanted romance and steam and mystery and lightheartedness.
There was no steam here.
There was no romance here.
This book was awkward and clunky. Why was it clunky? I dunno, but when I think of this book I think of a clunky old lady shoe with a support insert that keeps falling out…
…then that clunky shoe gets kicked down the stairs, the insert falls out, the regular shoe lining falls out and there are clunky old lady shoe pieces everywhere! Then you’re stuck picking up the crappy pieces of the crappy shoe, which smells bad, and trying to put them all back together again!
…but all you want to do is throw the shoe away and wash your hands…
That shoe reminds me of this book: awkward, annoying, tedious, and clunky.
April 9, 2018
Magic, mayhem and murder
Price, because very few grown women under the age of 80 want to go by Priscilla, has had a hell of a long string of bad luck. Dumped by her fiancee after almost 10 years together, her juice bar burned down, insurance red tape, the world seems to be against her. Jumping at a chance to work at a thrift shop and live in the basement apartment under it, she packs her clothes-all she has left- and grabs a bus. Arriving to the funeral of her would be employer is jarring. Learning she's inherited everything from her? Odd. Being the focus of her murder investigation? Holy hell. And that's before the 3 cats start talking.
This was a hysterical short read. It looks to be growing into a series and promises to be a lot of fun as it rolls along. Price is a prudish mess, Aggy is a hysterical harpy of a ghost, the 3 man shifting cats are over the top ridiculous but it all comes together for a very fun read. And I desperately want to learn what Pussy's real name is.
Price, because very few grown women under the age of 80 want to go by Priscilla, has had a hell of a long string of bad luck. Dumped by her fiancee after almost 10 years together, her juice bar burned down, insurance red tape, the world seems to be against her. Jumping at a chance to work at a thrift shop and live in the basement apartment under it, she packs her clothes-all she has left- and grabs a bus. Arriving to the funeral of her would be employer is jarring. Learning she's inherited everything from her? Odd. Being the focus of her murder investigation? Holy hell. And that's before the 3 cats start talking.
This was a hysterical short read. It looks to be growing into a series and promises to be a lot of fun as it rolls along. Price is a prudish mess, Aggy is a hysterical harpy of a ghost, the 3 man shifting cats are over the top ridiculous but it all comes together for a very fun read. And I desperately want to learn what Pussy's real name is.
April 10, 2018
Priscilla “Price” Jones is in a nightmare - she was dumped a month before the wedding and her vean smoothie bar is burnt down. So she accepts the first job she can and relocates to Salem OR to find if she thought her luck was bad it's gone from bad to worse. Her new boss has died and Price now has to cope with the thrift store, the apartment and 3 large cats are added to her problems. However opening a book she unleashes magic and life has suddenly got so much worse.
Wow - I loved this story which described all her problems and events which were many and often quick moving with some twists and turns. The characters in the story were charming and the way the story developed kept my interest up throughout the length of the book. I loved the premise of the story and can't wait to find out what is going to happen next. Well written and easy to read, understand and empathise with the characters in the story.
Wow - I loved this story which described all her problems and events which were many and often quick moving with some twists and turns. The characters in the story were charming and the way the story developed kept my interest up throughout the length of the book. I loved the premise of the story and can't wait to find out what is going to happen next. Well written and easy to read, understand and empathise with the characters in the story.
October 12, 2018
Surprises abound
This book was surprisingly good. It was a well planned mystery with plenty of twist and turns. The story hits the ground running with questions and problems looking up. And poor price in trying to figure everything out seems to take one step forward and two steps back. Price was a great main character she funny and interesting and after everything she's been through needs her fresh start. And the cats, o boy , loved the take on these familiar so far and can't wait to find out more. And as for romance there was a ton in this book but it looked like the foundation may have been laid. Overall it's a very good story with a happy for now ending: and I really have 3 big questions like why Price, who really are Finn\tom\and the ad get unnamed 3rd male, & where did all the strangest come from. I'm hoping we get some more answers can't wait for the next book. Very good, funny, exciting, mystery of a book would recommend.
This book was surprisingly good. It was a well planned mystery with plenty of twist and turns. The story hits the ground running with questions and problems looking up. And poor price in trying to figure everything out seems to take one step forward and two steps back. Price was a great main character she funny and interesting and after everything she's been through needs her fresh start. And the cats, o boy , loved the take on these familiar so far and can't wait to find out more. And as for romance there was a ton in this book but it looked like the foundation may have been laid. Overall it's a very good story with a happy for now ending: and I really have 3 big questions like why Price, who really are Finn\tom\and the ad get unnamed 3rd male, & where did all the strangest come from. I'm hoping we get some more answers can't wait for the next book. Very good, funny, exciting, mystery of a book would recommend.
November 10, 2019
This story contains witches, magic, mayhem, more magic, cats that turn into naked men, policemen, more witchcraft, and even more magic. It's a really funny story about Priscilla ( who prefers to be called Price) Who shows up for a job interview in a thrift shop to find that the owner with whom she has the interview has died. Then a lawyer finds her and tells her that she is the only beneficiary! She now owns the Thrift shop, the building, the two apartments it contains and all of the things in the building too. The adventures that she has are hilariously funny. There are the 3 talking cats who, rather unexpectedly, turn into naked men when she touches them. There is the cop who thinks she may have murdered the former now deceased owner, the ghost of the former owner, Agatha, who cannot remember much of anything, and the two witch friends of Agatha. If you are looking for a story that will entertain, this is it. Well written and fast paced, a very good read.
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