Sunday, August 11, 2019

Review: The Time for Murder is Meow (A Purr N Bark Pet Shop Mystery) by T. C. LoTempio (Blog Tour/Tour-Wide Giveaway)

The Time for Murder is Meow
(A Purr N Bark Pet Shop Mystery)
by T. C. LoTempio




About the Book



The Time for Murder is Meow (A Purr N Bark Pet Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Midnight Ink (August 8, 2019
Paperback: 312 pages
ISBN-10: 0738760366
ISBN-13: 978-0738760360
Digital ASIN: B07HL4F1Z6

Shell and her two furry sidekicks must cat-ch a killer to save their pet shop
Crishell "Shell" McMillan sees the cancellation of her TV series as a blessing in disguise. The former actress can now take over her late aunt's pet shop, the Purr N' Bark, and do something she loves.
While getting the shop ready for re-opening, Shell is asked to loan her aunt's Cary Grant posters to the local museum for an exhibit. She finds the prospect exciting—until a museum board member, who had a long-standing feud with Shell's aunt, votes against it. When she discovers the board member dead in the museum, Shell becomes suspect number one. Can she, her Siamese cat Kahlua, and her new sidekick—her aunt's Persian Purrday—find the real culprit, or will her latest career go up in kitty litter?

My Review 

After her TV series is canceled, Crishell “Shell” McMillan gives up her life in in Los Angeles and heads to the small town of Fox Hollow, Connecticut. Her late aunt left her a pet shop and Shell is more than ready for the career switch. Not only does she inherit the shop, but she inherits her aunt’s Persian cat named Purrday. Her own cat, Kahlua, does not seem too happy to meet their new family member.

As Shell prepares for the grand re-opening of the Purr N’ Bark, she offers her aunt’s Cary Grant collection to the local museum to exhibit. She’s disappointed to learn the museum board voted against her offer. Shell is determined to find out their reasoning. All signs point to one particular board member who had a problem with her aunt. Shell is convinced the board member convinced other members to vote against her. Then, Shell finds the board member dead. It’s obviously homicide and the number one suspect is Shell herself.

With her freedom on the line, Shell figures she’s the best one to investigate this murder. After all, she used to play a spy on TV. With some help from her new friends, as well as her old ones, Shell vows to find a killer. She gets quite a bit of help from Purrday and Kahlua.

Two cats trying to get along and helping to solve a murder mystery? You know I’m going to love this one. I, also, love that it’s the first book in the series so I got in on the ground floor.

The author did a great job of introducing the cast without the stiffness that sometimes accompanies a new series and characters. Shell immediately came to life and her former co-star fit right in as well. They made a great team with a great rapport. There’s no romance involved between them, just a very close friendship. There is a possible romance for Shell, but we’ll find out more about that in subsequent books.

My favorite characters, of course, are Purrday and Kahlua…the kitties! There were so many cute scenes between them. They also helped to solve the mystery along with Shell. I found Shell having conversations with them to be so realistic, since I do that too. LOL

The mystery itself was filled with suspects and twists galore. I had my suspicions about who did it, but changed my mind numerous times throughout the book. It’s a fast-paced story and I can’t wait to read more. This is an excellent start to a brand new series.


For reading challenges:
The Purrfect Reading Challenge 2019
What An Animal Reading Challenge 2019
Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge 2019

FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

About the Author



While Toni Lotempio does not commit – or solve – murders in real life, she has no trouble doing it on paper. Her lifelong love of mysteries began early on when she was introduced to her first Nancy Drew mystery at age 10 – The Secret in the Old Attic.  She and her cat pen the Nick and Nora mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime and the Cat Rescue series from Crooked Lane.  Her latest, the Pet Shop Mysteries, makes its debut August 8 with The Time for Murder is Meow.
You can cat-ch up with them at ROCCO’s blog, www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com or her website, www.tclotempio.net

Where to find them:

ROCCO’s blog:   www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com

Website:    www.tclotempio.net

Purchase Links:  Amazon   B&N   IndieBound 

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

August 8 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW

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