BOOK REVIEW: The Time for Murder is Meow by T. C. LoTempio @RoccoBlogger @midnightinkbook @kayepublicity

I’m three for three on cat-themed cozies in the past month and I couldn’t be happier! Two felines and their owner Shell help discover the identity of a killer amidst local politics, small-town gossip, and a cast of wacky townsfolk. Adorable, fun, and a great read to escape the trouble of life!

At merely 38 years-old, TV actress Shell McMillan retires from Hollywood after her show is cancelled. Mourning the death of her aunt, Shell moves to Fox Hollow, Connecticut to take over the management of her aunt’s pet shop, Purr N’ Bark. Shell loves animals, and after inheriting her aunt’s cat, she has two cats of her own—Kalhua and Purrday.

As Shell gets to work setting up for the grand re-opening of Purr N’ Bark, she also begins investigating why the board of the local museum refuse to display items from her aunt’s Cary Grant movie poster collection. Given the prestige of this collection, Shell is certain that something else is underlying the decision.

When one of the board members Amelia Witherspoon is murdered, Shell’s suspicions seem to be confirmed. There is something going on with the board of the museum and she needs to get to the bottom of it. That is easier said than done though when Shell becomes the number one suspect in the murder after reports of her argument with the victim surface.

Amidst the WASP-y townsfolk and local drama, the town of Fox Hall is actually quite charming and fun to read about. Shell is a fantastic leading character. From the outset, she might seem as though she could be tough to connect with given her fame, beauty, and fortune. But I found Shell to be intelligent, confident without being arrogant, and generous!

The characters in this novel are all so well-developed and fun to read about, from the new people she meets in Fox Hall to her former co-star Gary. There’s even a potential love interest in the local detective that promises to carry over into future installments! Each character truly adds to the story and they were surprisingly well-developed for a first book.

I loved that the book was kept light and humorous despite the murder (though given the title I should have expected the humor!). The two cats were fun additions to the story and will definitely appear in the future books. Altogether a fun read and an intriguing mystery that had me excited each time I got to dive back in!

Thank you to Kaye Publicity and Midnight Ink for my copy. Opinions are my own.