Saturday 17 December 2016

Butterball Reviews Cat Tales: Twelve Fabulous Feline Fables

https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Tales-Twelve-Fabulous-Feline/dp/1537175092?tag=dorishay-20

Title: Cat Tales: Twelve Fabulous Feline Fables
Editor: Madeleine Mayfair
Genre:Literary
Status: Read
Presence of Cats: Very much so. A cat for every month of the year.

Butterball Says:

If the cover image from the paperback edition of Cat Tales: Twelve Fabulous Feline Fables seems familiar to you, perhaps that is because you've so often seen it in the Cats Read Mysteries blog header. Madeleine Mayfair, curator of Crazy Cat Stuff and editor of Cat Tales, was kind enough to create our header, so it would be remiss of me not to mention the wonderful anthology of cat stories she has assembled.

In Cat Tales, you will find short stories from a number of literary greats including Edgar Allan Poe, Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, Mark Twain and Madame la Comtesse d'Aulnoy.

Of particular interest to mystery readers is the inclusion of The Brazilian Cat by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This tale features a large cat rather than a domestic house cat such as myself. The dynamic between the humans of this story and the title character piques one's interest from the outset. And yet, throughout the tale, a mystery slowly simmers in the reader's mind. The wife of the Brazilian Cat's keeper treats the narrator with not-so-subtle ire. Why? They've only just met.

Throughout the commencement of this tale, we eagerly anticipate what action is to come. When a man keeps a jungle cat penned up in his manor house, that cat will surely wreak havoc upon the cast of characters. But how will this come to pass? Will the Brazilian Cat attack at his master's command? Or of his own volition? Who, if anyone, will be slaughtered?

A stunning tale, exactly what we readers have come to expect from a Master of Mystery like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. If you have not read The Brazilian Cat, find it along with eleven other cat tales in the aptly named Cat Tales: Twelve Fabulous Feline Fables edited by Madeleine Mayfair.

Whether cuddly or conniving, playful or ferocious, cats have thoroughly captured the imagination of humans across the centuries...
https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Tales-Twelve-Fabulous-Feline-ebook/dp/B01K90ZRTY?tag=dorishay-20

Find Cat Tales in print or as an ebook from Amazon!












Wednesday 14 December 2016

The Purr-fect Crime: #Cozy #Mystery, Witchy Women and a Talking #Cat!

https://www.amazon.com/Purr-fect-Paranormal-Mystery-Willow-Witches-ebook/dp/B01KRDXGQY?tag=dorishay-20
Title: The Purr-fect Crime (Book 1 in the Willow Bay Witches Series)
Author: Samantha Silver
Genre:Paranormal
Status: TBR
Presence of Cats: Yes! And she speaks!

Ginger Says:

Samantha Silver has been a friend to the Mystery Cats since before we had this blog. Since I'm her favourite (she told me so--but don't ask her to repeat it because that wouldn't be fair to Zorro and Butterball), I want to tell you about a new series she's written.

The Willow Bay Witches is a series of paranormal cozy mysteries featuring a witch with a talking cat.

As of now, this series has 4 installments with a 5th available for preorder and coming out at the end of January 2017. I'm calling attention to the first in the series, The Purr-fect Crime, not only because the very beginning is a very good place to start (according to The Sound of Music), but because the price is definitely right!


Magic is about to meet murder in Willow Bay...

https://www.amazon.com/Purr-fect-Paranormal-Mystery-Willow-Witches-ebook/dp/B01KRDXGQY?tag=dorishay-20

Find The Purr-fect Crime at Amazon Today!












Sunday 11 December 2016

FRESH AND FREE: Daughters of Disguise

Title: Daughters of Disguise (Book 4 in the Lady C. Investigates Series)
Author: Issy Brooke
Genre: Historical
Status: TBR
Presence of Cats: Unknown

The Honorable Butterball Catsworth III Says:

Issy Brooke has returned to us with Daughters of Disguise, the fourth book in the Lady C. Investigates series.

Daughters of Disguise is available for FREE this weekend! The final day to download this mystery free of charge will be Sunday December 11th, 2016. I hope you will enjoy this very Victorian tale.

When love and murder are different sides of the same coin...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAGKRFJ













Sunday 27 November 2016

Zorro Reads Missing Pieces by Joy Fielding

https://www.amazon.com/Missing-Pieces-Joy-Fielding/dp/0440222877?tag=dorishay-20
Title: Missing Pieces
Author: Joy Fielding
Genre:Psychological Thriller
Reviewed by: Zorro

Zorro Says:


If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers, you’re probably already familiar with the work of Joy Fielding. If you’re not, I advise you to start with Missing Pieces.

Kate is a family therapist with an aging mother, an unruly daughter, and a wild-child sister. And in case that’s not enough, her life becomes inextricably intertwined with that of a serial killer. 

One of the things I love most about this book is the way domestic elements crank up the suspense factor.  This novel culminates in a scene that got my heart pounding more than any other thriller I’ve read. Why? Because Joy Fielding does such an expert job in making you care about these characters like they’re your own family.

If you haven’t read Joy Fielding, start with Missing Pieces. If you’ve read Missing Pieces, read it again!

Find Missing Pieces at Amazon.








Sunday 23 October 2016

Ginger Reads A Crafty Killing by Lorraine Bartlett

https://www.amazon.com/Crafty-Killing-Victoria-Square-Mystery/dp/0425239853?tag=dorishay-20
Title: A Crafty Killing
Author: Lorraine Bartlett
Genre: Cozy
Reviewed by: Ginger
Status: Completed
Cats?: Yes! Two!

Ginger Says:

A Crafty Killing, the first book in Lorraine Bartlett’s Victoria Square Mystery series, dangles all the right strings for this little kitty. It’s set in a small town, inside a quaint old structure that’s been converted into Artisans Alley—a destination for lovers of arts and crafts. This book's got artists and artisans. It’s got murder.
What else does a cozy mystery need?

Well, CATS, obviously!

And this book’s got not one, but TWO. The main character, Katie, has a cat that never appears “on-screen” but Katie very often thinks to herself that she has no food in the house except kibble for Mason. To me, this suggests Katie cares more for her cat than she does for herself. Now, I’m not saying humans shouldn’t care about their own health and dietary requirements… I’m just saying it’s only right for them to care more about ours.

In addition to this off-screen feline, there’s also a cat who is orphaned when the first murder victim (owner of Artisans Alley) is killed. Katie takes it upon herself to care for poor grieving Della, and I don’t think I’m giving too much away when I say there’s a real payoff to her good nature.

Della is the true star of this book, if you ask me. She shows some true heroics when Katie’s in danger. That said, Katie’s more than worth saving and her modest adventures in this cozy mystery are highly enjoyable.

If you love a good cozy—especially one that’s set in a small town and involves artists, baked goods and saving a business on the brink of bankruptcy—I highly recommend A Crafty Killing.

Find A Crafty Killing at Amazon.









Saturday 15 October 2016

Ginger Asks: What Should I Read?

Hi! I'm Ginger. I'm a cozy-loving cat if ever there was one. My To-Be-Read list is long, but I'm always looking for new books to love.

Readers: Have you recently read a cozy you're just dying to recommend to anyone who will listen? I'm all ears!

Authors: Have you written a mystery? Don't be shy! Tell us about it in the comments!






Thursday 13 October 2016

Fresh Cream: I'll Kill Her for You by Steve Richer

Title: I'll Kill Her for You
Author: Steve Richer
Genre:Thriller
Status: TBR
Presence of Cats: Unknown

Zorro Says:

New release today from thriller writer Steve Richer. Sounds intriguing and looks like it's on sale, so if you're planning to buy a copy now's a good time.

Here's what it's all about:

Who frames you for murder when you have no enemies?

Billionaire playboy Lawson Winslow gets a bizarre text message as he walks into the annual family Christmas ball: "I'll kill her for you." He thinks it's a prank but soon after the body of a woman is found upstairs.

Evidence puts Lawson at the scene of the crime. There's a witness. And when the killer calls again, he wants Lawson to play a dangerous game of dares. If he doesn't, incriminating phone records will be sent to the NYPD.

He's ill-equipped to deal with this. He's irresponsible, he's never had to work a day in his life, but now he needs to prove his innocence and he doesn't even know how.

After Lawson hires the disgraced but gorgeous federal agent Bailey Holloway to help him out of this mess, they will both need to navigate treacherous secrets before the blackmailer destroys his life and his family forever.












Friday 7 October 2016

FREE BOOK ALERT: In The House Of Secrets And Lies by Issy Brooke

Title: In The House Of Secrets And Lies
Author: Issy Brooke
Genre: Historical
Status: TBR
Presence of Cats: Unknown

The Honorable Butterball Catsworth III Says:

Author Issy Brooke is a friend to cats everywhere. It is for this reason I wish to inform you very good people that her book In The House Of Secrets And Lies, third installment of the Lady C. Investigates series, is available for FREE this weekend.

The final day to download this mystery free of charge will be Sunday October 9th, 2016. I hope you will enjoy this very Victorian tale.

Discovering the killer is the easy part … but can Cordelia bring them to justice?