The first in the Dixie Hemingway mystery series, Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter is a top-notch mystery. The book has so many things going for it -- a great heroine with a dark back-story, secondary characters that pop off the page, and the author's ability to stay focused on the investigation without giving character-development short shrift.

Dixie is taking care of Ghost, an Abyssinian, while the owner is away for a few days. But when she arrives at Ghost's house, she finds a murdered man who appears to have drown in the cat's water dish. A former sheriff's deputy, Dixie can't help but getting involved in the case, much to the chagrin of the investigating officer.

I read the second in this series, Duplicity Dogged the Dachshund, first -- but this is a series in which reading out of order is just fine. The author makes each book self-contained. (I've found that to be a trait of the best mystery authors.)

Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter is a bit darker than the cozy mysteries I usually read. But it's a book that will appeal any reader who appreciates good writing and tight plotting.

12-22-2009. ( )

Nice summer read ( )

Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter is the first entry in the Dixie Hemingway mystery series by Blaize Clement.

Dixie Hemingway's life in the Sarasota, Florida's sheriff department ended on the day her husband and daughter were killed in a tragic accident. Dixie returns to her nearby childhood home of Siesta Key to find some peace and to try to reengage in life. Three years later, she is feeling strong and happy in her new career as professional pet sitter. Her apartment is on property that was once owned by her grandparents, and her brother and his partner live across the drive in the big house.

Dixie's peaceful life is interrupted the morning she enters Marilee Doerring's house to feed her cat, Ghost. Instead of being greeted by a hungry kitty, Dixie finds a dead man in the kitchen and the rest of the house ransacked. After making a quick check around the house, she grabs the cat and runs outside to call 911. Thus the former deputy is brought back into the world of crime.

There is much to like about this series debut and Dixie Hemingway. Although Dixie has experienced unimaginable personal loss, she is not someone to pity. She has found a way of life that suits her, she is close to her brother and his partner, she is connected to her community, and she loves pets and her job. Clement has done a great job of balancing Dixie's sadness with her strength so we can empathize without feeling sorry for her.

It is easy to picture the people Dixie runs into in Siesta Key. This is a first in series, so there are lots of characters we have to meet: Dixie's family, the members of the police department, the waitress at the diner, and Dixie's longstanding clients. All are characters we look forward to seeing again. Clement also does an great job developing the individuals specifically related to the murder.

It's a given that a book about a pet sitter would feature dogs and cats. The good news is that Clement manages to use the animals as a foil to the darker aspects of the novel without getting cutesy. I'm sure the book would be considered a cozy mystery, but don't expect to find a budding romance or fun family life in the background. Dixie uses adult language, and we see the grittier parts of the murder scene. Underlying issues that may or may not be related to the mystery include sex, adultery, blackmail, a gay lifestyle, medical malpractice, and the nasty side of evangelical Christianity.

My principal criticism is that I figured out several pieces of the plot fairly easily, which I often find annoying in a mystery. However, I did not work out all the details, and there were still surprises at the end. The series has potential, and I'm planning on reading more about Dixie Hemingway's adventures in pet sitting.

I listened to this book on audio read by Julia Gibson. who did a fine job with pacing and distinguishing characters. ( )

I don't read a lot of mysteries, but I must say that I really enjoyed this one. I read it from start to finish the day it arrived!
The protagonist Dixie is multifacted and interesting. The other characters, both human and animal, are well-conceived. And, Clement adds a lot of things that make this book more substantive than your run of the mill cozy. I'll be eagerly awaiting the next installment in this series. ( )

Dixie Hemingway (no relation) was a deputy with Sarasota County's Sheriff's Department in southwest Florida. After a tragic accident she has problems dealing with people so she leaves the Sheriff's Department and starts a business pet-sitting on Siesta Key. She takes her job seriously but also realises that her life needs something else.

That something else is probably not a dead body at one of her jobs. Drowned in a cat's water bowl she finds herself a suspect and being chased by some unsavory characters.

It's a cosy mystery, you don't really expect much but this one was quite interesting in itself. I did guess the murderer but the red herrings kept me questioning my guess which made it all the more enjoyable. I look forward to more in this series. ( )