Tortie Shorties on Mystery Monday

Welcome to this week's edition of Tortie Shorties on Mystery Monday!

We hope you enjoy our choices.

Purrfect Heat (The Mysteries of Max Book 4) by Nic Saint

From the publisher: The peace and calm of Hampton Cove is brutally disturbed when celebrity chef Niklaus Skad, famous for his show Kitchen Disasters, is found cooked in his own oven. The chef wasn’t a well-liked man, and there are plenty of suspects to go around. Odelia Poole, Hampton Cove Gazette reporter and civilian consultant to the police department, teams up with Detective Chase Kingsley to catch the killer, but soon finds this proves a lot harder than she thought.

Max, Odelia’s blorange tabby, would love to help out, but is faced with a cat emergency when Odelia takes in a new stray. Diego soon proves to be a handful, and when he sets his sights on Harriet, it’s war in the cat menagerie. With Dooley fearing he’s contracted a wasting disease, and Brutus in a funk because Diego stole his girlfriend, Max has his hands full. Good thing he still has time to ferret out clues and chase suspects, or Odelia would never be able to crack the case.

Will Diego become a permanent fixture in the Poole household? Will the celebrity chef’s killer ever be found? And what’s going on with Gran’s crush on the mysterious Leo? Find out in Purrfect Heat, the new installment in the funny cozy cat mystery series The Mysteries of Max.

Tortie Shorties Review: This is the rare series that I download each book the moment it becomes available and start reading immediately. Purrfect Heat is book 4 and features the murder of a hated celebrity chef. Once again Odelia and Chase team up to work the human angle, while kitties Max, Dooley, Harriet and Brutus do a little undercover investigating of their own. The mystery and the various suspects are fun and kept me guessing, but as always I have to focus on the mini-soap opera featuring the cats. Diego is the latest addition to the menagerie and trouble from the word go. When he steals Harriet's heart (who quite honestly is a furry little trollop), tough guy Brutus falls apart, forcing Max and Dooley to see him in a new light. Max also has his paws full calming down sweet, innocent Dooley who fears he's dying after being told he's scrawny. And what happens at the very end opens up a whole new can of worms. Run - don't walk - to your Kindle and start reading NOW!

Trouble in Dixie (Familiar Legacy Book 2) by Rebecca Barrett

From the publisher: OLD MONEY AND FRESH MURDER -- Trouble, a savvy black cat with a penchant for sleuthing, has landed in the cream of Savannah society. So has a murderer and art thief.

Julia Hampton comes from old family, old money, and old society, but her job as an art insurance investigator puts her at odds with her background--and with the killer. Julia is determined to stop him.

U. S. Deputy Marshal Deputy Mitch Lawson knows more than he's willing to let on. One thing is clear: Julia is in danger--because of secrets he won't share.

But have no fear, Trouble the black cat detective is on the job and while Julia and Mitch are distracted by their attraction to each other, he is about to get his man.

Tortie Shorties Review: As much as I wanted to love this book I found it incredibly confusing. Maybe it was the Russian art angle and the fact that I'm sick to death of hearing about Russia on the news every day but I really struggled through it. At times I was even tempted to set it aside and try again another time but I'm crazy about Trouble the cat so I kept going. Three things I did enjoy - heroic Familiar (of course), the Savannah setting, and Julia's spunky Aunt Ethel. I think fans of romantic suspense and international intrigue would enjoy Trouble in Dixie, but for me it just wasn't "cozy" enough.

Disclaimer: As members of the Amazon Associates affiliate program, if you click on our links and buy something Mudpie gets a little money for her piggy bank!

Caption This #SundaySelfie

Mudpie is always a real Chatty Cathy, and now she doesn't even stop talking long enough to snap her weekly selfie! What do you think she's going on about in this picture?

We're joining our friends at The Cat On My Head for the Sunday Selfies blog hop!

Tahiti Inspired Graffiti #CaturdayArt

Meows from Mudpie!

Honestly, my Caturday Art project this week took less than 5 minutes. I went to LunaPic, which I haven't used in several weeks, chose the Graffiti effect, plugged it in and decided that graffiti has never looked better! Then I picked out a funky frame in PicMonkey and applied the same colors. Do I look like I'm ready for a Tahitian vacay or what? (Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. Good grief, it feels like a tropical island right here in Vermont lately!)

Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!

And now our weekly answers for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader!

Mommy's answers:

1. Meetings at work are boring as you-know-what.

2. The best time to take a nap is when you're sleepy. I know people who schedule a nap into each day. I can't just put my head back and sneak a snooze. It has to happen at just the right time...

Mudpie's answers:

3. Rules ...what rules? I'm a cat!

4. I have learned that there is nothing better than living in a forever home with a human who adores you.

Fun Feline Finds: The Pusheen Pet Collection at Petco

Meows from Mudpie!

Are you and your cats Pusheen fans? If so, we have some exciting news for you!

Petco recently unveiled an exclusive collection of cat toys, beds, collars and bowls inspired by Pusheen the cat. The collection is as endearing as the beloved animated cat it’s inspired by, with nearly 20 products that range in price from $5 to $30, now available online at Petco.com/Pusheen and in stores Aug. 20.

Designed to reflect the adventures of the gray tabby cat, the collection features toys and accessories with imagery of pizza and ice cream, among other nostalgic illustrations that will leave cats joyful for hours on end. Energetic felines will find entertainment for hours playing with the Pusheen Donut Cat Teaser Toy and the Pusheen Cuddling Cat Bed is perfect for Pusheen-loving, playful kittens to curl up in for nap time. Stylish cats can show their Pusheen fanaticism 24/7 with the Pusheen Cookie Cat Collar.

Pet parents are encouraged to share photos of their cats playing with and enjoying products from the new collection using the hashtag #PetcoPusheen. Learn more about Petco and the new line at: www.petco.com/Pusheen, Facebook.com/Petco, Twitter.com/Petco, and Instagram.com/Petco.

Now the question is -  

I have a Gotcha Day coming up next week... 

Petco offers free shipping on orders of $49 and over...

Do you think Mommy would mind if I borrowed her credit card and did a little shopping? 

I reaaaallllllly want that bed, blankie, and ball set...

Photos: Edelman for Petco

Unboxing July's CatLadyBox

The theme of July's CatLadyBox was "Serenity Meow"...here's what was inside!

Featured Cat Lady Artist: "Mellow Cat" by Valerie Hill

Playful Kitten Tea Light Holder (CatLadyBox exclusive): Just like with May's color-changing cat light, I can't wait to use this on cozy fall and winter nights! I love candlelight but having an open flame makes me nervous so I adore LED tea lights that flicker just like the real thing. 

Cat Wine Corkscrew (CatLadyBox exclusive): The main reason I've never indulged in wine nearly as much as I'd like is because I only had a basic travel corkscrew that required someone with superhuman strength to make it work. I don't have that problem anymore with this fun and stylish kitchen gadget! 

Calming Kitty Bead Bracelet (CatLadyBox exclusive): This bracelet is so simple yet so beautiful. I love layering it on the same arm as my watch.

KitTea Tea Bags Tin by Pet Winery: I've been seeing Pet Winery products all over the internet lately and was so excited to see this in our box. It can be brewed as real tea for your cat, but Mudpie loves batting the tea bags around just the way they are (and she hasn't even torn one open yet!) Plus the tin the tea bags come packed in is just TOO CUTE!

Zen Stone Catnip Toy (CatLadyBox exclusive): Because even kitties need inspurrational quotes to live by!

Not a subscriber yet? Visit CatLadyBox today!

Interested in purchasing individual items from past boxes? You can do that too!

Disclosure: I receive a small discount on my CatLadyBox subscription as a thank you for my monthly review. Regardless of compensation received, we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers.

I'm Not Getting Bigger...My Bed Is Shrinking

Here's proof...two years ago I fit just fine!

Review/Interview/Giveaway: Cat About Town by Cate Conte

From the publisher: The first novel in a frisky new mystery series set in a small New England town, where an unlikely citizen is called in to solve the purrfect crime. . .

Maddie James has arrived in Daybreak Island, just off the coast of Massachusetts, eager to settle down and start her own business—and maybe even fall in love. When a stray orange tabby pounces into her life, she’s inspired to open a cat café. But little does Maddie know that she’s in for something a lot more catastrophic when her new furry companion finds the dead body of the town bully. Now all eyes are on Maddie: Who is this crazy cat-whisperer lady who’s come to town? If pet-hair-maintenance and crime-fighting weren’t keeping her busy enough, Maddie now has not one but two eligible bachelors who think she’s the cat’s pajamas . . . and will do anything to win her heart. But how can she even think about happily-ever-after while a killer remains on the loose—and on her path?

Liz Mugavero's Pawsitively Organic mystery series is one of my favorite pet-related cozy series so when I heard that she had another planned focusing on a cat cafe I was nearly ecstatic!

Cat About Town pulled me from the very first page as we meet Maddie James, back home in a quaint Massachusetts town for her grandmother's funeral after moving away and opening a juice bar in California. While at the cemetery she's drawn to an orange cat watching her from behind a gravestone. He's spooked but it doesn't take long for her to gain his trust. Planning to spend some extra time with her grandfather during this huge adjustment in his life, Maddie soon learns that he's been keeping secrets from his family, namely that he's being pressured into selling his beloved home to developers by the town bully, and his refusals are falling on deaf ears. When the aforementioned bully is found with an ice pick in his back there's no shortage of suspects, with Maddie herself and her beloved grandfather near the top of the list!

Maddie and precious little JJ are just about the sweetest pair I've ever seen in a cat cozy. Their instantaneous bond was very realistic and gives proof to the theory that our pets find us, not the other way around. Daybreak Island is the ideal New England location for a cozy mystery, and it's residents, from Maddie's best friend (& local newspaper editor) to a pair of potential love interests (her ex who is now a cop and a dog groomer), are all instantly likable. The identity of the killer kept me in suspense until the very end and it was quite a shocker!

While I spent a good part of the book wondering, "Where does the cat cafe come in?", the answer ends up being pure purr-fection and it's going to have me stalking Amazon for the next book in the series on a weekly basis.

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Mudpie is purring with excitement over the opportunity to ask Junkyard Johnny - the real life star of Cat About Town and the inspiration behind the character of JJ - a few questions. She hopes you enjoy the interview!

Welcome, Johnny! Thank you so much for chatting with me today. Could you start by telling us a little about yourself and how you came to live with your forever human?

Thanks for having me, Melissa and Mudpie! While I live the good life now, I didn’t start out with a very charmed life. I was hanging out in a junkyard up in New Hampshire with a bunch of feral cats at a pretty young age. I had really bad ear mites, but I was surviving well enough. Then this man who used to come and feed the ferals realized I was friendly and took me home, but he had a ton of other cats and couldn’t keep me. So he talked to his friend, who worked at a no-kill shelter, and she brought me there. My future mom volunteered there at the time, and she took one look at my adorable face and couldn’t resist me.

You went from living in a junkyard to starring in your very own mystery series! Tell us about the Cat Cafe Mysteries.

I know, isn’t it great? The Cat Cafe Mysteries feature me and Maddie James, a young entrepreneur who finds herself back in her childhood home of Daybreak Island, Massachusetts. After a strange series of events, she finds herself the proud owner and operator of a cat cafe—and a murder investigator.

She finds her JJ in a graveyard at her grandmother’s funeral, but still wanted to call him Junkyard Johnny, after me, of course!

How are you alike and different from the fictional JJ? 

Well, I’ve never found a dead body, for one! We’re pretty similar in all other respects, actually. JJ in the book likes to walk on a harness around town with Maddie. I like walking on harnesses too - I’m really good at it. We both have a folded over ear from various ailments. We both like to nap and sleep… 

What's a typical day like for you now? Do you help your wonderful mom write her books?

I oversee the proceedings, but mostly I nap in the sun and eat all day.

Do you have any favorite toys, foods, nap spots?

I really like catnip dynamite toys. I’m really good at claiming the sun spots, either from my cat tree or on the couch. And I’ll eat just about anything!

What's a surprising fact about you that you think your adoring public would like to know?

I know no one will believe it because I have such a sweet face, but I’m on Prozac! I have a bit of a mean streak that served me well in the junkyard, but I take it out on my brother sometimes so I need to manage my anger…

But really, I’m charming. I swear :)

About the author: Cate Conte is the alter ego of Liz Mugavero. Liz is the author of the Pawsitively Organic Mystery series from Kensington Books, the first of which was an Agatha nominee for Best First Novel. As you can imagine, her canine and feline rescues demand the best organic food and treats around. She is a member of Sisters in Crime National, Sisters in Crime New England, Mystery Writers of America, and the Cat Writers’ Association. She currently lives in Connecticut.

Author Links:

Webpage – http://www.lizmugavero.com;
Twitter – https://twitter.com/lizmugavero;
GoodReads – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6475412.Liz_Mugavero;
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Liz-Mugavero/329291780446231;

Amazon Purchase Link

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