Cats and Catnapping

Mira Michaels Mystery #1

by Julia Koty

Mira Michaels finally calls her old life quits. She moves out of her psychic sister’s house and is on the road to her new life. Her trip to Pennsylvania starts simply, even if her cat, Arnold, can’t stop backseat driving. She refuses to accept that she can hear his kitty voice, until the radio refuses to work. Then, at a rest stop she witnesses a catnapping of the sweet kitty that Arnold has a crush on. Mira promises to chase the catnapper across the northeast and find the cat’s owner all before she must meet her realtor at her new house. Antics ensue.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cats, Animals, Paranormal, Amazon

82 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 22, 2021

About the author

Julia spent her early childhood in a small town in
Pennsylvania very similar to Pleasant Pond. Her house, also
an old Victorian which her dad renovated, was indeed
haunted.

Reviews

[Jerri Cachero · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Mira Michaels decided to start her life over, she never thought she would be a cat whisperer, a cat-finder or an amateur sleuth! Now she has to deal with his "Highness", Arnold her cat who "talks" to her and save Arnold's catnapped ladylove, Oksana, - all before she starts her new life, flipping a Victorian house, in the cozy town of Pleasant Pond!

I love mysteries with humor, felines and a main character who doesn't know exactly what to do but never quits and this book has it all! Mira has had enough of her "psychic" older sister trying to control her life and is recovering from a louse of a boyfriend who broke her heart and stole her money. She's funny, determined and relatable. Arnold is hilarious and it's not hard to accept that he talks to her.

Perfect cozy reading for a winter afternoon - or anytime. I am looking forward to seeing what adventures Mira and Arnold find in Pleasant Pond!

The book was free, on the author's website.

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mira Michaels is tired of her interfering sister; normal in any family really, except that Darla is psychic. To counter this, Mira's decided to move 8 hours away and flip a house. Reasonable, anyone would say. Reasonable until she becomes embroiled in thwarting a cat heist...

This story was right up my alley - just a smidgen of paranormal and a talking cat who wasn't written in a mawkish way. So. Many. Boxes. Checked! It's an absolute cosy, definitely not for the hard-boiled crowd. That aside, Julia Koty has cleverly woven an intriguing plot that didn't involve a murder but is a complete page-turner.

I will love reading this series. Recommended for cat fanciers and cosy enthusiasts.

[Emelie Thor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short But Cute read!

I gave it 3.5 stars because I feel like everything happened so fast and wrapped up so fast that I barely Cared about the plot or the characters.
Felt very much like one of the animal detective books I would read as Young, in both a positive and negative way.

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun silly quick read. It wasn’t the best ever, but it wasn’t near awful. Just short, fun and cute!

[Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: B

A fluffy adventure with a big "and everyone clapped" moment.

[Moony (Captain Mischief) MeowPoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny and odd

Lovable odd and funny. Loved the cats and that they could talk kind of. Quick , odd and funny read.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and quick read. 3.75 stars rounded up

[Debbie Binks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant quick read. With adventures from the first page. A real surprise book. If you love cats you’ll love this well written book

[Lindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was fun!

I enjoy this genre every now and then. Not a full course meal of a read, but, dang! I love buttered popcorn as a treat. Very charming and engaging.

[Hadlie Dew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obsessed with this book and can’t wait to read the rest of them.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice story.
Thanks to the author for the free digital copy.

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice quick, silly read. Just what I needed to easily get out of a reading slump.

[Ferne (Enthusiastic Reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mira is relocating from Massachusetts to Pleasant Pond, Pennsylvania to restart her life trying to heal from the discovery that her boyfriend was a criminal, and to escape her psychic sister Darla and her non-stop advice. Mira's leaving in an old Buick she calls Babs. I could easily envision the road trip as I've done it many times. The first introduction to the black cat above the cat carrier on the cover is a,

"Meow. The sound came from the cat carrier that sat in the shadow of the passenger side door of the Electra."

As the radio stops working in minutes, Mira begins talking to the cat, a long-haired black feline named Arnold. But wait, Arnold answers Mira and Mira can speak cat. Oh, I love Doctor Dolittle moments! Let the road trip truly begin through 3 states and 450 miles.

Little did I know what an adventure the road trip would be for Mira, Arnold, and even Babs. I don't add spoilers but for this Pennsylvania girl who once lived even closer to Oaks than I do now, it was such fun to know the territory of an unplanned detour.

I wasn't at all surprised that the author had spent her early childhood in Pennsylvania nor to visit her website and meet the cat who inspires Arnold. There is authenticity for the setting as well as feline characterization and dialogue between Mira and Arnold that only comes from being the staff of a cat. It's charming and delightful. I'm paws-tively going to read the next book in the series soon!

[Tiffany Killian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished a book that left me in tears & needed something lighthearted to follow it up and this did not disappoint. The characters were enjoyable & the dynamic between Mira & Arnold was the right combo of banter & friendship. I look forward to reading what other adventures they’re going to have & would have given this one 5 stars if not for the shortness.

[Ann Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cat People Will Identify!! A fun read!

A simple, uncomplicated story perfect for when you have a little time to rock back and relax. As a cat person I don't find it at all odd that the main character carries on conversations with her cat. I have to get the next book to find out what happens next!

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mira Michaels has had enough! She leaves her sister’s home and moves to her own in Pennsylvania. She only has her her cat, Arnold, for companionship. The strange thing is that Arnold can communicate with her. Only Mira can hear his voice, but Arnold has quite a bit to say!

During their road trip to Pennsylvania, Mira and Arnold run into another kitty human with her beautiful cat, Oksana. They are on their way to a cat show in Pennsylvania, but Mira and Arnold witness a catnapping at a rest stop. They are determined to help the Oksana’s human but she doesn’t believe there was a catnapping. Mira and Arnold know what they saw and they vow to bring Oksana back to her human and, of course, Arnold.

This short cozy mystery had me laughing. Arnold’s voice to Mira felt real to me. I could see my kitties saying those things to me and being very condescending. So much fun in this mystery-filled novella.

There are no dead bodies in this cozy mystery. Just a quick, clean mystery that I’m happy to say has more volumes to it. I can see this series is going to be my own personal catnip fun. I’m looking forward to reading the next one in this series.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The move

Mira has had it with her psychic sister interfering with her life. It does not matter that she only wants to help, it is that she is always right!

Mira packs up her things and Arnold, her black cat and heads out for the fixer-upper she purchased in Pleasant Pond PA. On the long 8 hour drive, they meet a creepy guy, a nice woman, and a Blue Russian cat named Oksana. The creepy guy steals the cat and Mira follows him to get the cat back where she belongs.

Will the old Buick make the grade and keep up? Will Mira be able to handle the creepy guy? Will Arnold and Oksana get together? Will Mira be able to fix up the new house? Will she get away from the psychic sister? Some of these will be answered.

This is a fun read with believable characters and a solid start for a series.

[Nancy Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had this book on my kindle for around 6 months and felt in the mood for something lighthearted that was also a short read. This series delivers my goals (including a spiffy black cat with telepathy named Arnold).

Mira is a likable woman off to a fresh new start after a disastrous breakup. While her psychic sister Darla's intentions are good, Mira is fed up with having her sister dictate her life. Low on money and with no job prospects, that doesn't deter Mira from rev her ancient Buick named Babs, stuffing her cat Arnold into his carrier against his will, and going to a new city.

Their trip suffers from a surprise detour when a crook steals a cat named Oksana, but Mira's fondness for cats decides to risk it all and bring the cat back to her rightful owner. This book offered a lot of enjoyment, and I would like to continue reading the next book in the series.

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was different. It was a quick read (a little over 100 pages) and fun. I'm not sure I really like the main character but I will read the next book and see how it goes

Amazon synopsis:
Imagine this: You're driving with your feline friend in the passenger seat, minding your own business, when suddenly your cat starts bossing you around like a backseat driver. You try to ignore it, but their judgmental meows just won't quit. It's like you're stuck in a never-ending episode of "Paw & Order: Special Felines Unit".

I’ve realized this is now my life. I had just left my sister's house, determined to make a life for myself. But first I had to solve the crime of the kidnapped cat, which wasn't a mystery because I knew who took her. The owner didn't believe me. So, here I am in the middle of I-80 between two semis chasing a cat napper. All because my cat has a crush on the furry kitty victim.

[Rosalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good first cozy(ish) for the author. Cozyish because there isn't a murder, but there is a catnapping. Mira is tired of living with her psychic sister who always knows if she's making a mistake and doesn't hesitate to tell her. The way to get away from this is to buy an old, decrepit Victorian home hundreds of miles away and moving with her cat, Arnold. On the way she finds out that just maybe she's psychic too, or at least that she can have conversations with Arnold. He's the one who convinces her that there's been a crime that she needs to solve. In the preview for the next book, we learn a little more about the house she's purchased sight-unseen and expect to see some more problems coming her way from that direction.

[Darlene Riggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful cozy mystery story!

Things I liked:
1) Well-written and proof read for typos, etc.
2) A perfect cozy mystery.
a. Proof that all good mystery stories do not have to center around a murder.
b. It was a clean read free of violence, profanity, and sexual situations.
c. Mira was easy to relate to and a very likeable heroine.
3) The kindness of several strangers in the story.
4) Mira’s determination to right a wrong she had seen.
5) Wyatt’s plan to slow down the catnapper.
6) Easily read in one sitting.
7) A part of a series of books.
8) I found a new favorite author/storyteller.

I received a free copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review. This gift did not affect my review of the book. This review is my voluntary and honest opinion.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in a series, and it was a fun read.

Mira Michaels has a gift where she can understand & converse with her cat, Arnold. During a road trip to their new home, they encounter several people with their cats, at a rest stop who are on their way to a cat show. During their stop Mira & Arnold witness a catnapping! Mira wants to help the Owner get her pet back. The problem is that the Owner doesn't believe her cat was stolen. Mira & Arnold are the only witnesses, and they follow the culprit in hopes to retrieve the cat back.

They take you on their adventure to chase down the catnapper, and all the people that they meet on the way.

It was nice to read a fun story without serious content, and just enjoy the ride, with Mira!

Fun read!

[Katy Cameron · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not quite sure when 'cosy mystery' turned from 'mystery where the amateur sleuth solves the crime rather than the police' a la Agatha Christie et al, and turned into 'fluff that mentions a crime, but requires no cerebral input to solve it', but I'm kind of over it.

This is not the worst story in the world, but the hammering home, multiple times, of the fact that our 'sleuth' doesn't want to stay with her psychic sister who tells her what to do (and is usually right) was a bit much in such a short tale. I picked up this book after hearing the author give a talk, and I obviously missed the paranormal part of the description, but if you want a light, fluffy story that requires no thought whatsoever on your part, this might be for you.

[Barbara Hackel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mira has enough of her sister's dominance, so she packs up her buddy Arnold (a very special cat) and hits the road. She is moving to Pennsylvania where she is buying an old house to renovate and flip. However first she has to drive the 4 hour trip surviving Arnold's complaints along the way. Oops, did I forget to mention Mira hears Arnold talking to her in her head? Yes, for real. And she thought a psychic sister was bad!

Adventures on the way involve a cat napping, a nasty man, a kind man who helps her, and some pretty funny moments. A great beginning to a series that has so much going on! Interesting mystery with great characters. Don't miss this!

[Patricia H. Phelps · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great Story for Animal Lovers

Mira is moving out of her sister's house. She has habitually done the opposite of whatever her sister advised and it has cost her. Her last boyfriend had taken all her money. She had bought an old house in Pennsylvania to flip. On the way she sees a slimy man steal a woman's cat by changing out the carriers. She alerts the woman who doesn't believe her, but her cat, Arnold, had fallen for her. So, she gives chase. There are funny things that happen along the way and they catch him at the cat show near Philadelphia. Kooky characters, a talking cat, and an interesting story.

[Denise Zendel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute story about Mira, and her talking cat, Arnold. Mira’s moving away from Mira’s smug, annoying psychic sister, to get a life of her own. While on the road, Arnold meets his soulmate, who’s been catnapped. Mira has to figure out why the cat was stolen, and along way learns some things about herself.

I expected this to be an actual full book, but it’s more like a novella (it only has eight chapters). Interesting story, snappy dialogue, likeable characters (the cat is a hoot), nice whiff of romance, and it sure made the time on the elliptical fly by. My only complaint was that it was so short. If you’re looking for a light, quick read, give this one a go.

[Bernadette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mira Michaels finally gets tired of her psychic sister always telling her what to do. So she decides to move to a different stat. She packs her bags and her cat and head out. At a rest stop she meet a lady on the way to a cat show. While in line go get goodies she see a guy nab the cat and take off. So off she goes on the hunt to catch the catnapper. With the old car she has to stay below 65 mph and so ends up losing the guy. There are twist and mishaps during this chase. Will Mira be able to help get the cat to the rightful owner? A good fun mystery. Love the cat!

[Gwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first in what promises to be a fun series. Mira decides she needs to make a new start in a different town so she packs up and heads off with her cat , Arnold. Mira has a psychic connection with Arnold and is able to understand what he says.
In this book while on their way to their new home, they witness a catnapping. They set off to rescue the cat and end up at a cat show.
I liked the characters and found the story very enjoyable. I am looking forward to reading more in this series. I received an ARC copy of this book and this is my honest and freely given review.

[PAR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cats and Catnapping: is the first novel in the Mira Michaels Cozy Mysteries. What a delightful read! Mira has had it with her job, her sister and her life as it is. She decides to head to Pennsylvania with her cat Arnold in tow. At one of their many pit stops Mirra and kitty witness a catnapping. They decide to chase the culprit wherever the tail might lead to rescue the little kitty! Julia Koty writes laugh-out-loud, page-turning mysteries. Her heroines aren’t perfect, but they’re smart, they struggle, and they succeed.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book cover and title caught my attention to Cats and Catnapping. Mira Michaels and her cat, Arnold, have left her sister, Darla, and Massachusetts behind. They are headed to a new life and a fixer-upper in Pennsylvania, 450 miles away. Unfortunately they witness a cat-napping and spend a day trying to pull off a rescue. Mira is able to hear and understand her cat which makes this story unique. This is a fun story and I liked Mira and Arnold. I am curious to find out what further adventures await them in the books to come.