Purr M for Murder

March 1, 2017

Leaving behind her New York City advertising job and unfaithful fiance, Sydney McCall returns to North Carolina to help her sister Kat run the Friendly Paws animal shelter. Sydney is adopted by one of the Friendly Paws cats, the charismatic, orange Toby the Wanderer. When wealthy landlord and curmudgeon Trowbridge Littleton threatens to shut down the Cat Cafe fundraiser and even the shelter itself, Kat and Sydney become suspects in Littleton's death, stumbling upon his body in his art gallery. Sydney, a Nancy Drew fan, is ably assisted by the intuitive and adventurous Toby as they start sleuthing to identify the real culprit. Sydney's high school friend Will, now a handsome homicide detective on the case, is conflicted by her involvement in the case. VERDICT The author of the "Nick and Nora Mysteries" launches an engaging series with a proactive, appealing sleuth. The (nontalking) Toby is sure to be a hit with cat lovers and cozy readers.--ACT

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 23, 2017
This sprightly series opener from LoTempio (Claws for Alarm and two other Nick and Nora mysteries) offers pure catnip for feline mystery fans. Ad exec Sydney McCall left New York City for her hometown of Deer Park, N.C., after finding her fiancé, the boss’s son, in bed with her secretary. In Deer Park, she quickly runs into a corpse—obnoxious Trowbridge Littleton, who recently vowed to close down Friendly Paws, the animal shelter run by Syd’s sister, Kat. With Kat high on the suspect list, Syd has to investigate a colorful roster of Littleton-haters. Cue the cute cop, Will Worthington, who doesn’t want interference from an amateur sleuth—even though he and Syd had a thing in high school. Who killed Littleton? How long until Syd and Will kiss? LoTempio spins the suspense, but what most distinguishes the book is Syd’s mystical connection with Toby, an unadoptable orange tabby. Who’s the rescuer, who the rescued? You needn’t be a cat person to get caught up in their drama. Agent: Josh Getzler, HSG Agency.

January 1, 2017
One sister must prove the innocence of the other in the murder of a man determined to shut down their small-town animal shelter.Sydney and Kat McCall are working together to help save their North Carolina animal rescue, Friendly Paws. Though Kat's been living in the area and working at the rescue for a while, Sydney's only recently moved back to her childhood hometown from New York City after having discovered her fiance cheating on her (good riddance). The two are determined to use their talents to bring Friendly Paws from the red into the black, or at least make it black enough so that the shelter animals won't be at risk of being rereleased. While Kat focuses on managing the shelter, Sydney uses her background in advertising to promote Friendly Paws in the community. Her first idea, a Cat Cafe, mixes a coffeehouse experience with the opportunity to meet and greet cats available to adopt. Sydney's sure it will be a success. Even printing out the fliers has made her fall a bit in love with Toby, the shelter's unofficial mascot. But businessman/landlord/jerk Trowbridge Littleton wants to stop the cafe in its tracks and threatens to find a way to shut the sisters, and the shelter, down for good. Sydney can't stop fast-talking Kat from threatening Littleton in the heat of the moment. Coming to her senses, Kat tries to meet and talk calmly with Littleton only to discover that someone's obligingly done away with him. Given her threats, Kat is the No. 1 suspect, though Sydney has a surprise ally on the local police force in Detective Will Worthington, her former Deer Park High School friend, who's pretty sure he can prove Kat's innocence if only Sydney will stay out of his way. LoTempio's latest series follows her sweet, simple pattern (Crime and Catnip, 2016, etc.) of cat-focused cozy with uncomplicated characters who are broadly defined.

COPYRIGHT(2017) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.