Dial M for Meow (Bookshop Kitties Mysteries) by Ruth J. Hartman
About Dial M for Meow
Dial M for Meow (Bookshop Kitties Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 1st In Series
Setting - Green Meadow, Indiana
Gemma Halliday Publishing (January 10, 2023)
Number of Pages 153 Digital
ASIN : B0BKHF9T7K
When children’s book author, Christy Bailey, receives a call from her aunt Betty to help out at her bookshop, she drops everything to go. Christy packs up her two cats—Milton and Pearl, the stars of her children's mystery books—and leaves busy Philadelphia for tiny Green Meadow, Indiana. The timing of the call is perfect, as Christy’s letch of an ex-boyfriend has just cleaned out her savings, leaving Christy with a pile of unpaid bills and a desire to start over. And what better place to do that than a charming small town in Middle America?
But when Christy reaches her aunt's bookshop, instead of small town hospitality she finds a dead body! Even worse, her aunt is passed out in the corner, hands covered in blood. The dead woman is an old frenemy of her Aunt Betty, and while Christy knows her aunt is innocent, the local detective isn't so sure. With Milton and Pearl prowling for clues, Christy is determined to find the real killer and clear her aunt's name... before her story ends in tragedy!
My Review
Christy Bailey is the author of a children’s mystery series featuring two cats. They just happen to share the same names as Christy’s own cats, Milton and Pearl. Lately she has been having a rough time. Her ex-boyfriend took all her money leaving her alone with a stack of bills. She’s thrilled to get a call from her Aunt Betty, who asks for help in running her bookshop. Christy packs up her two cats and heads to the small town of Green Meadow, Indiana.
Upon Christy’s arrival, she is shocked to find a dead body in her aunt’s apartment. Her aunt is unconscious near the body and covered in blood. Her aunt is fine, but the local police are convinced Aunt Betty is a killer, but Christy knows better. Along with her cats, Christy is determined to clear her aunt’s name.
This is an excellent start to a new series. It features not one, but two cats. I was won over from the start. Those two are just so darn cute.
As for the storyline, I was hooked from page one. The story starts off with excitement and never let up. I was engrossed in this story and the characters. I loved Christy and her Aunt Betty right from the start, but for me, the cats, Milton and Pearl won my heart. The author made them a big part of the storyline. They don’t have magical powers and they don’t talk to humans, but they are smart and assist in the investigation.
There are many red herrings throughout this book. The ending surprised me as it wasn’t anyone I suspected. However, it all fit together nicely. The big reveal scene was explosive. There are no cliffhangers. It’s all wrapped up in this book. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I'm hoping for more feline fun. 😁
For reading challenges:
Literary Escapes Reading Challenge 2023 (Indiana)
The Purrfect Reading Challenge 2023
What An Animal Reading Challenge 2023
Cruisin’ thru the Cozies Reading Challenge 2023
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
About Ruth J. Hartman
Thanks so much for having me on your blog today!
ReplyDeleteThis looks so fun! I love that the main character is an author and that she has a series based off her cats. Definitely need to pick up this one!
ReplyDeleteThat looks good.
ReplyDeleteI always love a cozy with cats as characters. This sounds like a fantastic read.
ReplyDelete