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The Squeaky Clean Skeleton
Hi! I'm Tori Madison, and I hate scrubbing toilets, which is unfortunate because my BFF Hazel and I own Bubbles and Troubles, Beach Plum Bay's premier cleaning service.
When Mrs. Livingston asked us to sort through the contents of her attic, however, we thought our toilet-scrubbing days were over. That is...until we found her corpse.
As if finding our client's body stuffed in a steamer trunk wasn't enough of an upset, someone needed to save her cat from being sent to a local high-kill animal shelter. That person, as it turned out, was me. I had no sooner set up the critter's litter box in my guest bathroom when he revealed another side. A six-foot-four, hunky, Irish side that only I can see.
Before I could come to grips with my new feline friend's secret, Mrs. Livingston's relatives, eager to claim their inheritance, asked Hazel and me to solve the murder. And the amount of the reward was many times over what their aunt owed for the job she hired us to do. Soon we had a plan that included Rune, my new housepet-turned-houseguest.
The more I got to know Rune, the more I wanted to confide in Hazel. But was I risking our lives by keeping my cat's secret as we went through with our crazy plan to catch a killer? Unfortunately, I didn't have a choice.
When Mrs. Livingston asked us to sort through the contents of her attic, however, we thought our toilet-scrubbing days were over. That is...until we found her corpse.
As if finding our client's body stuffed in a steamer trunk wasn't enough of an upset, someone needed to save her cat from being sent to a local high-kill animal shelter. That person, as it turned out, was me. I had no sooner set up the critter's litter box in my guest bathroom when he revealed another side. A six-foot-four, hunky, Irish side that only I can see.
Before I could come to grips with my new feline friend's secret, Mrs. Livingston's relatives, eager to claim their inheritance, asked Hazel and me to solve the murder. And the amount of the reward was many times over what their aunt owed for the job she hired us to do. Soon we had a plan that included Rune, my new housepet-turned-houseguest.
The more I got to know Rune, the more I wanted to confide in Hazel. But was I risking our lives by keeping my cat's secret as we went through with our crazy plan to catch a killer? Unfortunately, I didn't have a choice.
- GenresCozy MysteryFiction
198 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 20, 2022
120 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 8, 2026
Wee bit of Irish luck, antiques, & a side of murder
1st in series, is great start, with plenty of the mystical & lots of snappy repartee! 2 besties (formerly maids/house cleaners) have branched out into the lucrative new business of cleaning out & organizing homes (& other commercial spaces.
Their very first gig is a great one--clearing out the huge attic of Christina Livingston (legendary for interior design & becoming a recluse in the past few years). The girls are beyond excited because not only did they land the whale of attics, but they're allowed to keep lots of stuff! After their motivated first day, they're scheduled to return on Monday....but never expected a horrid stench, which they track down (gagging all the way) just to discover a huge ancient steamer trunk...with a skeleton that's wearing the church hat of the fashionista design maven. Also, the steamer trunk has a thick, nasty sludge in it & some has leaked out eeeewwww! When Hazel & Tori finally quit screaming, Hazel calls her detective brother to the scene. Much hilarity ensues when the girls meet a hot cat with a secret, are offered big money to find the murderer, hold a crazy drama-filled seance, and so much more!
Set in a small coastal town in New England, the biggest con/drawback for me was the local slang, i.e., using 'wicked' way too many times. When talking to one another, for example, Hazel might describe something as wicked expensive; Tori responds with wicked dear. There are far too many instances of wicked being used 2-3 times in a paragraph.
Other than totally wicked being wicked overly used, I enjoyed the plot, the characters, and how quick & easy it was to read in just a few hours.
Highly Recommend--it's absolutely WICKED!!!
1st in series, is great start, with plenty of the mystical & lots of snappy repartee! 2 besties (formerly maids/house cleaners) have branched out into the lucrative new business of cleaning out & organizing homes (& other commercial spaces.
Their very first gig is a great one--clearing out the huge attic of Christina Livingston (legendary for interior design & becoming a recluse in the past few years). The girls are beyond excited because not only did they land the whale of attics, but they're allowed to keep lots of stuff! After their motivated first day, they're scheduled to return on Monday....but never expected a horrid stench, which they track down (gagging all the way) just to discover a huge ancient steamer trunk...with a skeleton that's wearing the church hat of the fashionista design maven. Also, the steamer trunk has a thick, nasty sludge in it & some has leaked out eeeewwww! When Hazel & Tori finally quit screaming, Hazel calls her detective brother to the scene. Much hilarity ensues when the girls meet a hot cat with a secret, are offered big money to find the murderer, hold a crazy drama-filled seance, and so much more!
Set in a small coastal town in New England, the biggest con/drawback for me was the local slang, i.e., using 'wicked' way too many times. When talking to one another, for example, Hazel might describe something as wicked expensive; Tori responds with wicked dear. There are far too many instances of wicked being used 2-3 times in a paragraph.
Other than totally wicked being wicked overly used, I enjoyed the plot, the characters, and how quick & easy it was to read in just a few hours.
Highly Recommend--it's absolutely WICKED!!!
September 7, 2024
Okay not really sure what genre this book falls under but I still enjoyed it. It's not really witch craft as a cat turning into a man every time they are alone wasn't done by using spells, it was just a strange twist to add something different to a cozy mystery. I liked the characters and the Seances scene with the cat was a lot of fun. The story was definitely driven by the interaction between the main character and the man/cat, which is why I was surprised with the ending. It will be interesting to see where the author takes it from here. The mystery was interesting with a number of suspects to keep you guessing but I did guess who the killer was.
When Tori and her friend discover there new clients skeleton stuffed in a trunk in the attic they were cleaning, she had no idea how her life would change. When nobody claims the cat wandering around the house, Tori takes it home with her. Only to discover he is no ordinary cat. Whenever they are alone he reverts back to his human self, only for the curse to change him back into cat form when somebody comes near. Having two months to feed now, the only way Tori can make sure they eat is to find who killed there client and get paid.
I liked the narrator. She did some good voices and even have Rune an accent. Not sure if was Scottish all the time but it was a lot of fun.
When Tori and her friend discover there new clients skeleton stuffed in a trunk in the attic they were cleaning, she had no idea how her life would change. When nobody claims the cat wandering around the house, Tori takes it home with her. Only to discover he is no ordinary cat. Whenever they are alone he reverts back to his human self, only for the curse to change him back into cat form when somebody comes near. Having two months to feed now, the only way Tori can make sure they eat is to find who killed there client and get paid.
I liked the narrator. She did some good voices and even have Rune an accent. Not sure if was Scottish all the time but it was a lot of fun.
October 29, 2024
Quick, cute cozy.
I really enjoyed this book with Nicki, Hazel and Rune. I'm hoping that Rune will continue as a character in the next book.
There was quite an overload of the word "wicked" even as slang it seemed used too much. However, not being a New Englander this could be a mistake on my part. The mention of heated seats in Hazel's car won't be forgotten.
A charming, fun story with an handsome black cat.
The book had amusing notes as well as the mystery and was pleasantly devoid of offensive language.
I really enjoyed this book with Nicki, Hazel and Rune. I'm hoping that Rune will continue as a character in the next book.
There was quite an overload of the word "wicked" even as slang it seemed used too much. However, not being a New Englander this could be a mistake on my part. The mention of heated seats in Hazel's car won't be forgotten.
A charming, fun story with an handsome black cat.
The book had amusing notes as well as the mystery and was pleasantly devoid of offensive language.
January 30, 2026
It was cute but seemed a bit immature. Word usage such as "wicked" (ie: "good") was well overused - more than 30 times. There were also some editing issues. She "found" divorce papers in her (dead) husband's stuff and later he "served" her divorce papers the day of his death. They were berated for not knowing someone when all they were given was a first name. There also were comments made in conversations that just failed to develop. The characters were not too deep and the main characters seemed pretty likable. I might read book two but it won't be in a rush.
August 6, 2025
great read
I really like this book. I read A Lot and I’m picky ( hate to say that but I’m honest even about myself). As a hospice social worker I did have issues with the hospital emergency and stay. I realize others might not, but that just made No sense to me at all. That said I enjoyed this book and it kept my attention (my book snottiness is because I’m ADHD ;) lol. It got and kept my attention and I did enjoy it.
I really like this book. I read A Lot and I’m picky ( hate to say that but I’m honest even about myself). As a hospice social worker I did have issues with the hospital emergency and stay. I realize others might not, but that just made No sense to me at all. That said I enjoyed this book and it kept my attention (my book snottiness is because I’m ADHD ;) lol. It got and kept my attention and I did enjoy it.
April 26, 2024
Pretty good start to a series. I was surprised at the end regarding Rune. I felt there were a couple of inconsistencies but nothing that majorly changed the story line. The characters were interesting and entertaining even though the cop was annoying in places with his innuendos/handcuffs. :) I'm on to book 2 in the series.
January 7, 2026
Good story but annoying word usage
The author uses the word "wicked" as in " wicked good", "wicked (fill in the blank) every couple of pages. As I am not 12 I find this incredibly annoying. It detracts from what is otherwise a fun story with engaging characters. It has made me decide to not purchase other books by the same author. It's too grating and immature.
The author uses the word "wicked" as in " wicked good", "wicked (fill in the blank) every couple of pages. As I am not 12 I find this incredibly annoying. It detracts from what is otherwise a fun story with engaging characters. It has made me decide to not purchase other books by the same author. It's too grating and immature.
August 26, 2023
Fun cozy with paranormal elements
Fun cleaning crew cozy with paranormal elements. A pair of friends starts a new business along with their existing cleaning business and comes across a body. Well written with humor and intrigue
Fun cleaning crew cozy with paranormal elements. A pair of friends starts a new business along with their existing cleaning business and comes across a body. Well written with humor and intrigue
September 27, 2023
Very Well Done
The last couple of novels I've read have been so poor and so filled with grammatical errors that I could not even bring myself to finish them. This lovely cozy is well plotted and well written too. I am going to put the next one on my Kindle right now!
The last couple of novels I've read have been so poor and so filled with grammatical errors that I could not even bring myself to finish them. This lovely cozy is well plotted and well written too. I am going to put the next one on my Kindle right now!
November 9, 2024
Black cats!
Start s slow but worth the wait! Where can I find a black Irish cat? A really good read, kept me up last night. Really enjoyed the read. Have download the next book!
Start s slow but worth the wait! Where can I find a black Irish cat? A really good read, kept me up last night. Really enjoyed the read. Have download the next book!
November 16, 2024
Skeleton in the attic
Tori and Hazel, working on a job to clean and cataloging items in the attic, found a skleton. The skeleton was the owner of the house. Tori found a bottle, rubbed it, and found a cat. The cat turned into a cursed Irishman. Loved the book, humor, and twists.
Tori and Hazel, working on a job to clean and cataloging items in the attic, found a skleton. The skeleton was the owner of the house. Tori found a bottle, rubbed it, and found a cat. The cat turned into a cursed Irishman. Loved the book, humor, and twists.
September 2, 2025
A great cozy mystery
I enjoyed all the characters except Gavin and th story of a gruesome murder was compelling. I'm looking forward to seeing how Hazel and Tori. manage their new business and if the Irishman is worthy of Tori.
I enjoyed all the characters except Gavin and th story of a gruesome murder was compelling. I'm looking forward to seeing how Hazel and Tori. manage their new business and if the Irishman is worthy of Tori.
April 22, 2024
Found this book to be "wicked" good. The story and the characters were delightful. Looking forward to reading more of the series. Recommend reading.
January 12, 2025
Not your average love story
This is a one of a kind mystery, love story. It flowed easily and had a really good twist at the end. All in all a good read.
This is a one of a kind mystery, love story. It flowed easily and had a really good twist at the end. All in all a good read.
March 6, 2025
My review for The Squeaky Clean Skeleton
I very much enjoyed it! An interesting group of characters. I recommend this book. I look forward to the next book.
I very much enjoyed it! An interesting group of characters. I recommend this book. I look forward to the next book.
September 17, 2025
A fun read
The author has created an interesting and unique plot to go with an imaginative group of characters making this hard to put down
The author has created an interesting and unique plot to go with an imaginative group of characters making this hard to put down
October 12, 2025
What a good Halloween read. I don't read many cozy books cause they are slow burn reads, and I don't like slow reads. I do read them, just Perfer fast-paced books.
November 8, 2022
Cute story…
Took a bit to get going but a light, fun, quick read. I would like to see the main characters more developed…and what about the mysterious Sven!?!?
Took a bit to get going but a light, fun, quick read. I would like to see the main characters more developed…and what about the mysterious Sven!?!?
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews