ARC Review: Purr M for Murder by T. C. LoTempio

Purr M for Murder
Author: T. C. LoTempio
Series: A Cat Rescue Mystery (Book 1)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (March 14, 2017)

Description: Sydney McCall left behind an ex-fiancé and a New York advertising job to return home to Deer Park, North Carolina and help her sister, Kat, run the local animal shelter, Friendly Paws. Determined to save the shelter from financial trouble, Sydney and Kat organize a cat café fundraising event at a local coffee shop. Things are looking up until their landlord, Trowbridge Littleton, threatens to shut down the event. When Sydney drops by his art gallery to make peace, she finds Kat--along with Littleton's dead body.

Local homicide detective Will Worthington--who just happens to be Sydney's old high school crush--is highly suspicious of the sisters' involvement. Desperate to clear their names from the suspect list, Sydney pounces on the investigation. With the help of one of the shelter cats, a savvy orange tabby named Toby, Sydney begins poking her nose into other local businesses whose owners may have benefited from Littleton's death--until the killer notices she's pawing a little too closely at the truth.

Delightfully clever and charming, Purr M for Murder, the first in a new series from nationally bestselling author T. C. LoTempio, will leave readers clawing for more.

My Thoughts: After a relationship fell apart, Sydney McCall is back home in Deer Park, North Carolina to be the publicity director at her sister's animal shelter. Her plan to run a cat cafe at a friend's bakery. But Trowbridge Littleton who happens to own an art gallery nearby and is the local rich person thinks a cat cafe will be bad for everyone's business.

When Syd and her sister Kat go to reason with him at his gallery, they find him dead and still warm. Syd has always wanted to be a detective and gets right on the case. Her incentive is that Kat is looking like the number one suspect. It doesn't take long for Syd to uncover a bunch of other suspects from the wife, to the stepson, to a few of Littleton's ex-lovers, to his business partner, and to most of the other shopkeepers who are Littleton's tenants.

The new detective in town - Will Worthington - was a good friend of hers in high school but they lost track as they went off to college tries his best to discourage her. But Syd is determined and finds a number of clues that are useful to Will.

Another big part of this story has to do with Syd's new feline companion. Toby has been living at the shelter for a while waiting for his perfect person. He's decided that Syd is that person. There are lots of cute cat moments as Toby and Syd interact. He also helps her find some clues.

This was fun. I liked Syd. I liked the small town setting. I see possibilities for Syd and Will to rekindle their relationship and work together to solve mysteries in future books.

Favorite Quote:

"I know. I know. My inner Nancy Drew kicked in. It won't happen again," I assured him.

I got this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.