Il segreto del gatto

Pet Whisperer P.I. #1

by Molly Fitz, Barbara Parutto (Translator)

Ero una ragazza qualunque, con sette diplomi universitari, che ancora non sapeva cosa fare nella vita… fino al giorno in cui ho rischiato di morire.

E se essere quasi uccisa da una macchinetta del caffè non fosse sufficientemente imbarazzante, ho anche scoperto di riuscire a parlare con gli animali. O almeno con uno di essi.

Si chiama Octavius Maxwell Ricardo Edmund Frederick Fulton, ma io lo chiamo semplicemente Gattavius. Parla così in fretta che non è facile capire cosa dice, ma mi ha rivelato che la sua ex proprietaria non è morta per cause naturali come tutti credono.

Quindi non ho altra scelta: ora come ora il mio scopo è diventare il primo detective di Blueberry Bay con un aiutante a quattro zampe, nascondendomi dietro la facciata di assistente legale presso lo studio Fulton, Thompson & Associates.

Ma come diavolo faceva il dottor Dolittle a farlo sembrare così facile?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Paranormal, Fantasy, Cozy, Animals

204 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2019

About the author

Molly Fitz is the quirky, cozy mystery pen name of USA Today bestselling author, Melissa Storm. And while she can't technically talk to animals, she and her doggie best friend, Sky Princess, have deep and very animated conversations as they navigate their days. Add to that, five more dogs, a snarky feline, comedian husband, and diva daughter, and you can pretty much imagine how life looks in the Casa de Fitz.

Molly lives in a house on a high hill in the Michigan woods and occasionally ventures out for good food, great coffee, or to meet new animal friends.

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Cozy Mystery, and this is the first book in the Pet Whisperer P.I. series. This is a cute short cozy mystery. I love the cat character, and that cat name is so much. I do feel like their could be a little more to the mystery, but overall I really liked the story and loved the main characters.

[Linda Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute debut cozy! A bizarre accident leaves the protagonist able to talk to a cat who’s owner has been murdered. Lots of humor! I look forward to reading book two.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cute cover immediately drew my attention to this first book in this cozy mystery series from Molly Fitz. I'm a sucker for cozy covers that feature cats! Then I was completely taken in by the idea of an amateur sleuth that can talk to animals. Fun! :)

The basics: Angie Russo is rethinking her life choices when a near death experience changes her life....a quick zap and suddenly she can talk to animals and somehow promised to help a cat find his owner's killer. Definitely never a dull moment!

This book was light-hearted, fun entertainment from start to finish. The story is a nice mix of cozy murder mystery and humor. Angie Russo is an intelligent and slightly zany main character. Octo-cat is snarky, opinionated and spoiled -- as any cat (but much more). The plot kept my attention from start to finish.

I listened to the audio book version. Narrated by Ann Richardson, the audio is just over four hours long. Richardson does a great job narrating. She has a pleasant voice, brings the characters to life, and reads at a nice pace. All in all, a very entertaining listening experience!

I'm definitely going to continue reading this series! This was the first book by Molly Fitz that I have read....and I enjoyed it enough to read all her books!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

We talk to our pets everyday but how cool would it be to really understand the conversation? Okay ...maybe "cool" and "curse" would both be the right term here. This is a delightfully amusing story about how a woman achieved the ability to not only talk to but understand every single word her cat said...and oh the things she learned! Angie Russo's life was just fine until she experienced a near-death experience, and she suddenly found she could understand and talk to animals. Her cat, Octavius Maxwell Ricardo Edmund Frederick Fulton... or just "Octo-Cat", was a typical feline...well, as typical as any cat can ever be... who thinks humans are the lesser, but necessary, creatures that were put on this Earth to serve and deliver each and every feline desire. By the way...this is the opinion shared by ALL cats, everywhere in the world, just in case you haven't realized that yet. If you are owned by a cat, you soon will "get it". Together, Angie and Octo-Cat manage to find a murderer. There is lots of humor, interesting characters and a few unexpected twists in this story. The ending was unexpected. It was a fun story even if it was a bit on the ridiculous side...but that's my lowly human opinion. Angie's not Sherlock Holmes by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm sure that her skills will grow in the future since she has a top-notch teacher. Of course, Octo-Cat was great. He's spoiled...as he rightly should be, but he's so hilarious and sweet as only a cat can be, and he says that Angie is his best friend in the world.... now come and work this can-opener. (If you are a completely oblivious "dog person" you won't get any of this.)

[Belinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars - English free Ebook
Hilarious. I laughted all true the book. Nice cozy mystery. 🦋🌹🦋

[Obsidian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly this was a low stakes read and I needed it. It was funny at times and it made me laugh some too. I thought this was an interesting idea in the cozy mystery genre. Have a woman have the ability to speak to a cat who then helps her solve murders. The main reason why I gave this 4 stars is that the book runs out of steam towards the end. I don't know if Fitz didn't know how to end things or what. But I thought the killer came out of nowhere and the over explanations on the mysterious going ons with some of the other characters also came out of nowhere.

"Kitty Confidential" follows Angie, a 20 something paralegal unclear on what she wants to do with her life. When Angie is asked to make some coffee, a fluke accident knocks her out and when she awakens she is able to hear a cat that is in the room speak/talk. The cat is named Octavius Maxwell Ricardo Edmund Frederick Fulton, or as Angie calls him Octo-Cat. Octo-Cat claims his previous owner was murdered and enlists Angie to help him prove it. The two unlikely duo then end up living together and trying their best to solve the murder.

Look you guys, this book features a talking cat who has shade for days. I liked it and laughed a lot. Any scenes with Octo-Cat talking down to Angie were delightful. But I also liked how Fitz captures his vulnerability with Angie and how he wants to be petted by her and told what a good boy he is LOL.

I don't think any characters were developed that well besides Angie and Octo-Cat. Which is okay in my mind. This is the first book in apparently a 16 book series. The writing was sharp when Angie and Octo-Cat were interacting, but Angie's investigating was pretty poorly done I thought. Definitely an amateur sleuth here. The flow was okay almost towards the end and like I said above things just read as rushed to me.

The ending of what happens to Octo-Cat and Angie of course should not be a surprise cause this is the first book in a 16 book series.

I read this book for the "Cozy Mystery" square.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a 3.5 star read.

[Evelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a Kindle find. Not too bad, but too short to be a novel. More of a novella. I was not super-impressed with this book. The humor is funny in parts, but the ending came too fast and too simply. I found Octo-cat to be more annoying than cute and his human, Angie, to be a little too quirky. I did like the idea of Angie having no less than seven associate degrees from the local community college. It will come to play in future series, I'm sure. I don't think I will follow the series, though, because I like fully rounded mysteries more than long short stories. Kudos to Ms. Fitz for coming up with an original idea for her mysteries, a talking cat. (I think I'd rather call him Octavius, though, than Octo-cat.)

[Sebastien Castell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, quick cozy mystery that's easy to pick up and hard to put down. You can hardly go wrong with a talking cat, but Octavius (how dare the main character refer to him as "Octo-Cat"?) is particularly self-important in all the right (and rightful – he's a cat after all) ways. Angie Russo is a likeable protagonist and the growing bond between the two of them fulfills that need many of us have to see the relationships between animals and humans as special, distinct, and meaningful. The mystery itself is fine – well suited to the first story of the series – but it's really the human/cat banter that'll grab you. Just as it should be.

[Kellie O'Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy 5 shiny stars rating from me! 💫💫💫💫💫

This story is absolutely amazing! I really enjoyed every minute of reading this cozy mystery with a speaking cat named Octo - Cat! 🐈

After a near death accident, Angie woke up able to speak to Octo- Cat! She must solve the murder of Octo- Cats former owner with his help. Drive into a fun cozy mystery and I hope you can solve the mystery, because I couldn't!

It's full of a lot of twists and turns and unexpected things happening throughout the entire story! I really had a hard time putting it down. It'll keep you on the edge of your seat!!

I very highly recommend this one!

Enjoy and Happy Reading 🐈

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Kitty Confidential (Pet Whisperer P.I. #1)" is one of those books that get selected during a roadtrip where not everyone enjoys lesfic, and not everyone wants a focus on hetero romance or sex.

All-in-all this was a pretty cute book. MC Angie Russo is sort of drifting through life, gathering college degrees (she has 7) because she likes learning, but not really applying any of her education toward any career.

Working as a paralegal, she's nearly electrocuted by a coffee maker, and awakens to learn she can understand the cat that was in the room, and that the cat can understand her.

The cat is pretty much the sole heir to what is described as a fortune, but some of the math doesn't really make it sound like much of a fortune….oh well, the human relatives aren't too happy.

The cat insists his beloved owner was murdered, and insists that Angie help find the murderer. The cat is also the most annoying cat ever. If you can't decide whether you want to adopt a dog or a cat, listen to this book. You'll get two dogs.

If you want a fun, lighthearted murder mystery with a couple interesting twists, and a likable MC who tends to leap to conclusions, you'll enjoy "Kitty Confidential". The narrator helps boost my rating to recommended, with 4*.

[S.A. Krishnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious cosy murder mystery.
Angie is working as a paralegal and she gets electrocuted by the coffee maker. When she wakes up after the incident, she finds herself capable of talking to a cat. Octo-cat is convinced that his previous master was murdered and wants Angie to solve it.
Fun and light murder mystery which was funny almost all the way through. Liked it.

[Julie Fetcho · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun quick read. The author has gotten the cat and his attitude down perfectly. I really enjoyed the book. Look forward to the next one.

[Lola · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the premise for this book, so I bought it on release day and didn't wait long to start reading it. Kitty Confidential is a fun quick cozy mystery read about Angie who after a near death experience has the ability to talk with animals. The cat from a women who recently died tells her his owner was murdered and she decides to help him.

I had fun reading this book. I liked the premise of the main character who solves mysteries alongside the animals she encounters and her relationship and interactions with Octo-Cat were fun to read. That's probably my favorite part of this story. Octo-Cat really sounds show I imagine a cat would talk and he has quite the personality. He is a bit rude at first and used to his luxurious lifestyle, but I liked seeing Octo-Cat and Angie grow closer over the course of the book.

Sadly the mystery was a bit of a miss for me. There was very little investigating, Angie decides on a main suspect at the start and basically sticks with that. She asks some questions at her work place about the murdered women and notices some suspicious things, but that's about it. The mystery had a good set-up, but the way it progresses didn't keep my attention. I guess I just would've liked a bit more investigating and guessing and more discovering about what happened. There is a bit of a twist, which was a nice touch, although I managed to predict it. I also thought a few reasoning were a bit strange and some of the things Angie thought or decided just didn't quite make sense to me. The book just felt a bit too short and the mystery not expanded and in depth enough.

Angie was a nice enough main character I liked how she studied multiple things and wasn't quite sure what to do with her life, but she also seemed happy enough with her life. I like how she took care of Octo-Cat and quickly believed him about the murderer. I did think she was quite rude to a side character at some point, especially as I thought her conclusion was a bit far fetched and the way she confronted that person was just wrong. Angie sure could be a bit impulsive at times.

There are a few side characters, but the focus mostly stays on Angie and the few co-workers at the place she works and Octo-Cat ofcourse. Octo-Cat could be quite annoying at first, but I did like him when he showed his nice side. It was clear he cared for his previous owner and wanted justice. Angie's Nan also seemed nice. Her co-workers we get a bit of a feel for, some more than others. They werne't really interesting tough, although there is a mention at the end that was kinda interesting.

To summarize: This was a quick and fun read with a main character who gains the ability to talk to to animals. I liked the premise of this book. The mystery didn't fully work for me tough, there was little investigating and getting to know more about the murder/ motive ans suspects. Angie just asked a few questions while she was already at her work and noticed a few strange things, then jumper to conclusions. And didn't really consider any other suspects, besides her main suspect. Some of her reasoning didn't make sense to me. The whole mystery was pretty straightforward, although there is a bit of a twist at the end. It just wasn't engaging enough for me tough and I wanted more depth to the mystery. Angie seemed nice enough, although I thought she was quite rude at times to a certain side character. Octo-Cat was fun to read about, although he was a bit rude and annoying at first, he have his nice moments too and I liked seeing him and Angie grow closer over the course of the book.

[Judi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Goodread really needs to provide negative numbers for books like this one. It has to be one of the stupidest books I’ve ever read. Right from the start it was like watching a train wreck, I just couldn’t stop reading just to see how bad it was going to be. On that point it didn’t disappoint. The stupidity start at the very beginning when the main character gets electrocuted in a room full of the lawyers she works for. Not only don’t these LAWYERS call and ambulance or the paramedics, they have some one drive her to the hospital and drop her off there.....The final stupidity was when this same character asks if she can keep the cat that has inherited millions of dollars and the lawyers like”sure”. Needless to say I won’t be reading any more of this authors work.

[Emmalynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute. After being electrocuted by an old coffee pot Angie wakes up with the ability to communicate with animals, specifically her boss’ cat. Said cat wants her to solve the death of his last owner.

This was quirky, the banter between octocat and Angie are hilarious.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paralegal Angie Russo works for Fulton, Thompson, and Associates. Things get off to a rocky start when Fulton’s elderly aunt passes away and Angie has a near-death experience when she’s nearly electrocuted by the office’s coffeemaker. When Angie wakes up, she finds she can talk to the elderly aunt’s cat and he talks back. The cat is convinced his owner was murdered and he wants Angie’s help to prove it.

As Angie tries to figure out why she can all of a sudden communicate with a cat, the cat pressures her to find a killer. The problem is that the police are convinced the death was of natural causes and their is no proof that any foul play is involved. It’s not as if Angie can tell them that the cat told her.

So, Angie and Octo-Cat team up to find a killer on their own

This book is the first of the Pet Whisperer series and it’s off to a really fun start. There are so many LOL moments. Octo-Cat is the star of this series for sure. The things he says are exactly what I would expect a cat to say. Angie has much to learn about how to treat a cat right and Octo-Cat is sure to be an excellent teacher.

The storyline is a fast-paced mystery. I wasn’t overly surprised at whodunit but it was such a delightful ride getting to the conclusion. There’s humor and mystery spread throughout the book.

Angie and Octo-Cat are quite the entertaining amateur sleuths. This is a great series to satisfy my need for a “feel good” read. When I need a “pick me upper” this is the series I’ll be going to.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a light, fun book! First in a series... will have fun with the rest!

[Mayda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A shocking accident leaves Angie with the ability to talk to cats, at least she can talk to one very important cat. Octo-Cat insists his elderly owner was murdered, and that Angie must avenge her death. This is definitely a cat with catitude! Suffice it to say, this delightful cozy is an imaginative and well written mystery. Angie is quirky enough to be interesting and yet really likable even with all her foibles. She really likes learning, as her seven college degrees attest, but working? That’s another story. Her grandmother is a lovable and stable influence in her life, but the real star of the show is, of course, Octo-Cat. This is a wonderful debut novel in what I hope is a very long series.

[Annabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love cozy mysteries, they are fun and fast reads!

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute

This was a cute, light, and quick read. I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading the next one.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kitty Confidential by Molly Fitz is the first Pet Whisperer PI Mystery. Angie Russo is a paralegal (who dislikes lawyers) at Fulton, Thompson, and Associates in Blueberry Bay. She rushes into the office (late) and is asked to make coffee for an important will reading. Angie plugs in the ancient coffee maker and receives an electric shock that knocks her unconscious. When she wakes up there is a cat on her chest whom it talking to her and Angie can understand the uppity feline. His name is Octavius Maxwell Ricardo Edmund Frederick Fulton which Angie promptly shortens to Octo-Cat (poor thing). Octo-Cat is at the office for the reading of Ethel Fulton’s will who was his owner. He states that Ethel was murdered, and he needs Angie’s help in finding the killer. Since Angie is the only person who can understand the little guy (and he is quite persistent), she decides to help him. Angie convinces Mr. & Mrs. Fulton to let her take Octo-Cat home with her with a little psychological double talk. Octo-Cat is shocked when he arrives at Angie’s home (it is not up to his standards) and is further devastated when he is given tap water in a bowl from the local dollar store (Angie’s favorite shop). But if Octo-Cat wants justice for Ethel, he will have to adapt. Angie and Octo-Cat join forces to prove that Ethel was murdered and identify the guilty party. There is one little problem. Octo-Cat cannot tell humans apart visually. Can Angie and Octo-Cat accomplish their mission?

Kitty Confidential is a quirky and humorous cozy mystery. Angie Russo loves to learn and has earned seven degrees from the local community college. But a girl needs to work if she wants to take more classes (I know the feeling). She loves shopping at the local dollar store and her clothing has an 80s vibe (she really does not fit in at the law office). After being shocked by the old coffee maker, Angie can now talk to Octo-Cat. He needs her help in proving his deceased owner was murdered. Kitty Confidential is a story that will keep you laughing. There is one zany incident and unique character after another. Octo-Cat grows on you as the story progresses. I loved the cat’s reaction when he was served tap water in a dollar bowl (he only drinks Evian in crystal or Lennox). Octo-Cat’s snide comments had me chuckling. I like the author’s casual writing style and the story progresses at a speedy pace. Kitty Confidential is one of those books that you need to suspend your disbeliefs and reality. You just need to read the story and go with the flow. The mystery is unassuming, but there is misdirection to distract readers. Kitty Confidential is a cute, entertaining cozy mystery that will brighten your day.

[Denise Zendel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Angie Russo has seven associate degrees and no idea of what she wants to do with her life. While she’s figuring it out, she spends her days as an unappreciated, lawyer-hating paralegal for a private law firm. An unhappy run-in with a cranky coffee maker leaves her with the ability to talk to animals – well, one in particular anyway, a cat named Octavius Maxwell Ricardo Edmund Frederick Fulton. He asks her to solve the murder of his person, a wealthy older woman who left all her money to him.

This was a fun read –overall decent writing (although some weird word choices – “exacerbated” smile, when I think she meant “exaggerated” smile), snappy dialogue, likeable protagonist, well-developed secondary characters, enjoyable small-town setting (Blueberry Cove, Maine). The mystery unrolled smoothly, with a steady pace and lots of clues to follow. That cat is the best thing about the book. “I don’t understand your human marriages anyway. Those tiny collars you wear on your fingers … Its’ like being micro-chipped, right? You can try and run away, but they’ll always find you and bring you home. Frustrating.” I can just hear him talking. This looks to be a light, entertaining series, and one I will read more of.

[Lisa Cornelius Ashby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this short little cozy. It was quite different without the small town feel or the length of a normal cozy, but I fell in love with the relationship between the protagonist and the cat along with their ability to “talk” to one another. I will definitely continue this series 😀👏🏽📖📚

[Eileen Lynx · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow I finished it but it was awful. The main character is such a ditz, you almost want her to fail. The cat is horrible too. How can an author create a book where both heroes are awful?

[Jo-Lyne Ryker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Octo-Cat

I gave this story five stars not only because it was well written, but also because it was a great storyline! There were parts that were hilarious! I couldn't put the book down! So looking forward to reading more by this author

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 stars

MAJOR Plot spoilers ahead. Read at your own risk.

First I’m going to give you context before I give you the review because I think it’s important that you get the context before you read the review just so you know where I am coming from:

This was strange deciding how to review this one because of the history of my reading journey over the years. I did something that was a little outside of my comfort zone. A majority of my reading, meaning probably about 98%, is in the romance genre. That’s what I most gravitate towards, crave, and enjoy the most. Romance is a huge genre with so many different sub genres and types that it is really hard to get bored by them. I definitely won’t run out of reading material sticking to the romance genre that’s for sure. And I’m totally okay, and I love that. Romance will be my preferred choice of reading material. Again I’m totally okay with that.

But the funny thing was yesterday I wasn’t craving a romance, yet I wanted to read a story, which for me was a very strange feeling. I think a big reason for that was I was craving rereads of my favorite romance series like On Dublin Street and Gabriel’s Inferno so I didn’t want to get wrapped in a romance with totally new characters when I wanted to read about my favorite couples again. I felt like if I did pick up a new story with a new couple, I wasn’t going to give them a fair shot because my head was filled with my favorite couples that I love. So, therefore I don’t think it would have been fair to pick up something new and have an unbiased view of the book and romance when my head was filled with my favorites. The new couple/romance would never measure up to my favorites. So I didn’t want to be in the mindset going into a new book and not giving it a fair shot when I’m thinking of something else, yet I wanted to read something, but something new and different than I have read in a while.

So I did a thing last night, and I’m partially blaming watching too many Booktubers on this who talk about this the cozy mystery genre. I haven’t read cozy mystery since Nancy Drew books, as well as some others, which was years, years and years ago when I was a kid. Back then I didn’t even know that there was a name for such a genre at the time and just thought of them as mysterious and nothing more. I loved these stories as a kid, going through the mysteries and trying to figure out who done it and that type of things. So when I watched some booktubers videos, and they talked about this genre and really liking them I decided and me realize that they might have this Nancy Drew type of feel to them that made I should see what they were about, and if I was interested in them.

What I found, and what I found most intriguing that some of these cozy mystery stories had paranormal elements to them. I had no idea that these types of stories even existed. They were quite a few of them that really made me interested in them. So that kind of gave me a push to read something different and give this one a try, which had a paranormal element that I just found very interested and wanted to read.

However I do kind of feel funny giving this book a review especially since I’m not very proficient in this genre like I am in the romance genre. So, i don’t know if this story reflects typical cozy mystery type stories, or if it’s the story itself that I can give an accurate review of whether this was good or not for this genre. I can only go by my thoughts and feelings I had while reading it, which might be totally different than what someone that loves this genre would say. So coming from more of a romance perspective might have influenced my reading of this book just because I might seen or felt something different because I come from a different place. With that that being said, I will give my thoughts, but take this with a grain of salt coming from someone who is used to the romance genre and typically doesn’t read these types of stories.

So after this long winded discussion let’s get into the review portion:

I have to say that it was a very interesting premise to begin with. The story started off with the main character, Angie, who worked at a law firm, getting electrocuted by a coffee pot when she plugged it in, passing out, then waking up to suddenly being able to hear this cat talking to her. As you can imagine, she thought she was going nuts, but I thought it was freaking hilarious, not that she got electrocuted, but that the cat Octavius was suddenly talking to her. The things that came out of Octavius’s mouth just had me cracking up. I was literally laughing out loud at some of the stuff he said to Angie and Angie’s reaction to them. I haven’t laughed that loud while reading a book in quite awhile. It was a hoot. Some of those one liners were just priceless. Plus Octavius’s snooty attitude towards her was just a riot. I was loving that byplay so much between them as they became combatants during that first introduction.

Between all that byplay though came the fact that Octavius thought that his owner, who had just died, had been murdered. That immediately got Angie’s attention and made her want to solve this. So, after she visited the hospital she wasn’t back to retrieve the cat to see what he knew so she could help solve the murder.

After that the byplay/teasing between Angie and Octavius continued, and it was as funny as it was during their first meeting. They tended to try to annoy each other while they were trying to navigate this new relationship between them. Angie even started calling him Octo-Cat after a certain point because he had so many names. What was really even more interesting that while they were having this back and forth, I was completely aware that Octo-Cat was a cat and not human with just some of the things he said about cat life vs human life. It made it feel very real and genuine that it was this cat talking. It felt like the cat was alive. It didn’t feel forced or like the author was trying to be a cat. No, it was a cat through and through. The author did a really good job of convincing me of that. That made for a really interesting dynamic through the story as there was this cat and human relationship throughout the book. I really enjoyed seeing that played out through the story as they set about to solve this murder.

The mystery aspect of the story was not as suspenseful as I would have liked it to be. I was anticipating being more on the edge of my seat than I actually was. Not to say that the mystery element wasn’t done well, but I thought there would be more to it. I just felt like there was clue after clue after clue without really any obstacles or problems finding the next piece to the puzzle. It was almost too easy and too smooth. I was expecting more surprises, twists, and up and downs, instead it was a little flat to me. I think a part of the problem for me was that I pretty much figured out who it was going to be very early on in the story so it didn’t feel as shocking when the reveal came of who killed Octo-Cat’s owner. I just wanted more of shock value.

I understand why the person who was the killer did it, but what I didn’t get was the order of events the lead to that point. It was little unclear and kind of mushed together especially with other things going on. I didn’t know what came first in the sequence of events. Was it this or this? I wasn’t sure. I got the overall feeling of what was happening and the circumstances, but I wanted to be clear on everything and all the details. I just don’t feel like it did for me. It didn’t jive exactly right in my head.

It did get more exciting at the end when the killer reveal with finally some suspense coming into play. I really enjoyed the suspense aspect. It made me wish that I had feeling throughout the story and not just the end. This would have given me a little bit more of spark to the mystery in the story, instead of feeling ho hum like I did for a majority of the mystery. I wanted more of that adrenaline rush because it was so good at the end. My heart was pumping. I was breathless. I was biting my nails. At that point I was at the edge of my seat. I wanted that feeling throughout, but at least I got it at the end, which was something.

But I have to say that the most heartwarming thing about this story was the relationship between Octo-Cat and Angie as they worked together to solve this relationship. At first they had this antagonistic type of relationship, then they felt like a team working together, then they were compadres, and then finally by book’s end they really had that sweet, tender and loving pet and pet owner relationship that made my heart glow. When they were reunited at the end, it was so sticking adorable, so touching, and just made me sigh with delight. I can’t tell how happy that scene made me. It made me want to smile and tear up at the same time. it showed how far their relationship truly had come over the pages of the book. It was such a precious moment especially when they both said they were each other’s best friend. It just really touched me. I really appreciated that so much. I didn’t even know I needed that in my life until I read it. I loved it. Best friends forever.

Overall I really did like the story. I liked the characters. I liked the relationship between Angie and Octo-Cat, which was the highlight of the entire story in my opinion. It was just so funny and entertaining to see them as they banged back and forth through the story. I really liked seeing how their relationship transformed over the course of the story. It was so funny. it was sweet. It made me smile. It made me laugh. It made me tear up. There was just a lot going on, but I loved what was going on as they worked together to solve this murder. The mystery aspect was just okay for me. I wasn’t surprised or shocked by anything that happened because I kind of did predict who it was from early on. I just wanted a little more suspense throughout the story and have that nail biting experience like I had at the end of the book when the reveal came. I just thought that it was almost too easy to solve this mystery without a lot of obstacles getting in Angie and Octo-Cat’s way. I get this was a shorter type of story so it had to get to the point quickly, but I just wanted more excitement and suspense throughout. It wasn’t a bad mystery just a little underwhelming, however it was still a good read nonetheless.

This story did make me more intrigued and didn’t turn me off to idea of reading more cozy mysteries in the future. Will this be my new favorite go to genre? Probably not, my heart will always be with romance first and foremost, but it’s nice to read something different for a change, and I think that this might be the way to go if I don’t want to read romance, but I do want to read something. I have found quite a few more cozy mysteries that have intrigued me and made me want to read them at some point. So I do look forward to that in the future. I think this was a nice introduction into the cozy mysteries world, and I can definitely see more potential in this genre after reading this one. So, I say that is a win.

[Emilija · Rating 2 out of 5]

2023 52 Book Challenge - December Mini Challenge -6) Whiskers On Kittens

This is a light and funny read, if you don't think about the main character acting stupid, and barely any investigation in a investigative novel. I did like the cat tho, which is weird because I am definitely not a cat person.

[Brooke Blogs · Rating 5 out of 5]

After an accident with an old coffeemaker, Angie finds herself talking to a wealthy, spoiled cat. This was a quick read that had me laughing out loud in many parts. Octo-Cat is hilarious! He is snarky, witty, and confused by humans. He is exactly what I envision a talking cat would sound like. The murder mystery aspect was well-written. I loved this story and look forward to reading more in the series.

I bought this book on Amazon to read for an online book club.

[Mary Eve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not the biggest fan of Octo-Cat, therefore, I don't think I'll continue this cozy series. Entertaining? To a degree. What I didn't like...all the arguing. Fitz tries too hard to create a comedy duo-Odd Couple. But, I didn't find the laughs forthcoming. The murder mystery was hardly mystifying. I mean, Angie and Octo-Cat (I HATE that stupid name!)barely left the house to solve the big crime. I don't know. I liked the premise of talking to cats. Believe me...I have two Ragdolls and I definitely speak "cat". And, they certainly understand humans. So, this concept isn't too far fetched for my imagination. I didn't really care for the characters. For me to say that about a cat is big. However, I know this series is popular with cozy readers. It's not all bad. Has its moments. I didn't begin this book with high expectations, but I expected it to deliver more laughs. In the end, not purrfect. Com ci com sa.