Meow If It S Murder

First in a new series! Nora Charles doesn’t believe in fate, even if she is a crime reporter who shares a name with a character from The Thin Man. In fact, she’s moving back to Cruz, California, to have a quieter life. But after finding an online magazine eager for material, and a stray cat named Nick with a talent for detection, Nora’s not just reporting crimes again. She’s uncovering them… Back in her hometown, Nora reconnects with old friends and makes some new ones, like Nick, the charming feline who seems determined to be her cat. But not everything about Cruz is friendly. Writing for a local online magazine, Nora investigates the curious death of socialite Lola Grainger. Though it was deemed an accident, Nora suspects foul play. And it seems that her cat does too. Apparently, Nick used to belong to a P.I. who disappeared while investigating Lola Grainger’s death. The coincidence is spooky, but not as spooky as the clues Nick spells out for her with Scrabble letters—clues that lead her down an increasingly dangerous path. Whether fate put her on this case or not, solving it will take all of Nora’s wits, and maybe a few of Nick’s nine lives.

Shell McMillan and her furry sidekicks aren’t kitten around when they set out to catch a killer . . . When her TV series is canceled, struggling actress Shell McMillan considers it a blessing in disguise. A beloved aunt who recently died left her a pet shop in her will, and she sees it as the perfect chance to walk away from Hollywood and make a fresh start in the sleepy town of Fox Hollow. But adjusting to small-town life won’t be easy, as Shell realizes when the head of the museum board is found murdered not long after Shell had a very public argument with her. And when the new kid in town is fingered for the crime, she’ll have to rely on her own wit and pluck and the kindness of strangers to get herself off the hook. Desperate to exonerate herself and catch the real culprit, Shell begins digging into the lives of the local residents, and she quickly discovers that the victim had no shortage of enemies. As the suspect list grows and time runs short, Shell and her cats will have to claw their way out of danger—and it’s meow or never . . . “A buoyant start to a new series . . . Fans of feline mysteries will relish The Time for Murder Is Meow’s pet shop framework in this story of finding one’s second act.” —Foreword Reviews “An entertaining series debut . . . Feline-loving cozy fans will be satisfied.” —Publishers Weekly

The claws come out when Kendra Ballantyne, pet-sitter and occasional sleuth, agrees to help prove the innocence of her boyfriend's manipulative ex-wife when she is accused of murdering the man who has been stalking her. Original.

The claws come out when Kendra Ballantyne, pet-sitter and occasional sleuth, agrees to help prove the innocence of her boyfriend's manipulative ex-wife when she is accused of murdering the man who has been stalking her. Original.

New York Times Bestselling Scumble River Series When ex–Vegas showgirl and local business owner Bunny Reid starts an online dating service called Cupid’s Cat’s Meow, out-of-town visitors flock to her bowling alley for the speed dating and cat show events that she hosts to bring in extra cash. Bunny’s scheme sounds harmless enough, but school psychologist Skye Denison knows all too well that an influx of strangers in Scumble River always spells trouble…. Meanwhile, Skye is convinced that her house is haunted and is afraid her fiancé, police chief Wally Boyd, won’t move in until the ghost moves out. But ghost-hunting takes a back seat when Skye is called to the bowling alley, where a riled up contestant is choking a cat show judge for insulting his feline. Skye breaks up the scuffle, but the next morning the judge’s dead body is found, strangled with a cat toy. Now Skye must solve this purrplexing mystery—and show a devious killer that her sleuthing skills are the cat’s meow.

A gorgeous Norwegian Forest Cat, a cat café, a food critic, and … murder! The small town of Gold Leaf Valley is aflutter with a food critic’s arrival. His online column has made him famous in this part of Northern California, but not everyone is pleased he’s in town. When café owners Lauren Crenshaw and Annie, her silver-gray tabby, stumble across his body, what should they do? Investigate the crime themselves? Or … leave it to the police? Is Lauren under suspicion for delivering pastries to the dead man’s motel room? Or did his intern bump him off in order to gain a promotion? Lauren’s cousin Zoe is keen to help investigate the crime. But are there too many red herrings in this case to uncover the truth? Zoe is also busy turning knitting club into knitting/crochet club and teasing Lauren about her budding romance with the attractive Detective Mitch Denman. Can the trio uncover the truth about the food critic’s death – before the killer strikes again? This is a fun, clean, cat cafe cozy mystery with female amateur sleuths – and a beautiful Norwegian Forest Cat! Metadata: Cat café cozy, food bake cook coffee culinary cozy mystery, clean and humorous cozy, cozy mystery with police love interest, two best friends cozy mystery, cozy mystery with romance, cozy mystery with amateur sleuth

Firebird Award Winner! Dead men tell no tales, but in the riveting new Nick and Nora Mystery, they sure leave a lot of clues . . . “Take my word for it—this tricky whodunit will grab you with its quirky (but believable!) characters, inventive plot, and whopping payoff.” —New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs When a local PI’s untimely death is ruled a suicide by the police, budding sleuth Nora Charles has no intention of letting sleeping dogs lie—or sleeping cats, for that matter. Certain it was a case of foul play, Nora rouses her trusty sidekick Nick and launches an investigation of her own. Then a second PI is murdered, and Nora knows the two men were on to something—and that she’s on to something too. Following the enigmatic clues left by her late predecessors, Nora soon uncovers a plot that involves a local politician, missing campaign funds, and what could be a bogus real estate deal. But when hints of treason surface, what started as small-time thievery soon balloons into a matter of national security. With the uncanny Nick sniffing out—and spelling out—leads, Nora follows a trail that will take her to the heart of a shadowy conspiracy, and into a trap set by a conniving culprit that will have her wishing she had Nick’s nine lives . . . Praise for the Nick and Nora Mysteries: “Hiss H for Homicide packs all the trimmings into its classic cozy structure in smooth, silky fashion. William Powell and Myrna Loy played the original Nick and Nora Charles in the classic Thin Man films, and LoTempio does them great justice in this masterpiece of the genre that leaves no stone, or cat treat, unturned.” —Jon Land, Providence Journal “If you like hard-boiled old crime fiction, you will find parts here to scratch your itch. If you are looking for a cozy mystery with elements of romance (whose team will you be on?), get comfy and prepare to be intrigued.” —Laura’s Interests “Ms. LoTempio has crafted a superior mystery for this series return.” —Escape With Dollycas “With its wonderful characters, perfectly paced plot, and perplexing mystery, Hiss H for Homicide is a must-read for cozy mystery lovers.” —Christy’s Cozy Corners “Excellently plotted and executed—five paws and a tail up for this tale.” —Open Book Society