Melissa Storm

We talk to our pets everyday but how cool would it be to really understand the conversation? Okay ...maybe "cool" and "curse" would both be the right term here. This is a delightfully amusing story about how a woman achieved the ability to not only talk to but understand every single word her cat said...and oh the things she learned! Angie Russo's life was just fine until she experienced a near-death experience, and she suddenly found she could understand and talk to animals. Her cat, show more Octavius Maxwell Ricardo Edmund Frederick Fulton... or Octo-Cat", was a typical feline...well, as typical as a cat can ever be... who thinks humans are the lesser, but necessary, creatures, that were put on this Earth to serve and deliver each and every feline desire. By the way...this is the opinion shared by ALL cats, everywhere in the world, just in case you haven't realized that yet. If you are owned by a cat, you soon will. Together, Angie and Octo-Cat manage to find a murderer. There is lots of humor, interesting characters and a few unexpected twists in this story. The ending was unexpected. It was a fun story even if it was a bit on the ridiculous side...but that's my lowly human opinion. Angie's not Sherlock Holmes by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm sure that her skills will grow in the future since she has a top-notch teacher. Of course, Octo-Cat was great. He's spoiled...as he rightly should be, but he's so hilarious and sweet as only a cat can be, and he says that Angie is his best friend in the world.... now come and work this can-opener. show less

This is the second book I've read in this series. I do admit the cute Maine Coon cat on the covers were 99.9% of the attraction...at least to begin with. l've been owned by more than one cat in my lifetime so I had no problem believing that Merlin was magical and could solve mysteries, or that he owned a human. Then I quickly found out that Merlin is not actually a cat. He's really a witch...being that he's male I guess he's a warlock...anyway he's magical and solves mysteries. Gracie thinks show more she is Merlin's owner, (silly human), but if you have been owned by a cat, you know this isn't true but, to get more tuna, Merlin is willing to go along with it...as he knows she is actually his familiar...and she is starting to settle into that role rather nicely, but the magic world around them can't let that happen. As one reviewer adequately remarked "This book went by in a blur of shenanigans and cat fur.". I thought that described it rather well. It kept me guessing and of course my guesses were never right. It's a completely different twist on the cat and familiar relationship and not what I usually read but I think I might be hooked on Merlin and might consider applying for the 'familiar" position should he need another one. show less

As I have said before, I am not a big fan of cozy mysteries, but I am a huge fan of anything with four feet and fur...and I found that this series while boarding greatly on the ridiculous and totally impossible side...is high on the side of out and out cuteness. Angie has the unusual ability to converse and understand OctoCat, her cat. OctoCat has an even more unusual ability, as it seems he owns, and can use, an iPad. When you think about it, that's kind of scary since that is more than show more some humans can do:) Angie tries to keep all this quiet but now she's been caught by the new lawyer at the law firm where she is a paralegal. When everyone is supposed to have gone to a lunch, she gets a face time call from OctoCat. He tells her that there is a fly in his Evian and she needs to come home NOW, to remove it and clean and refill his water dish. While she is arguing and telling him she will ask a friend to come take care of it, Charles, the new lawyer comes in and catches her carrying on a diffident conversation on facetime, with her cat. I didn't see why he found that so strange since I think my cat could have easily used Facetime if she had wanted to. He now knows that she can talk to and understand the cat and he asks her help on a case... if she can speak cat maybe she can also speak dog??? The dog in question may have seen his owner murdered and can tell them who did it. She says she can't understand the dog, but OctoCat who speaks fluent dog can be an interpreter for them. Angie doesn't believe their client was the murderer and persuades her mom, who is a television reporter, to not air the planned special on the murder with the promise of an exclusive later. OctoCat also reminds her that she "owes" him a big, huge, gigantic favor for putting up with and talking to the dog in the first place. It gets rather wild for a bit toward the end. Charles comes up with valid proof of who the murderer is while Angie is trying to get a confession from who she thinks the murderer is. If you just need a quick fun read, this series so far has been that. show less

Terrier Transgressions by Molly Fitz has readers returning to Blueberry Bay, California. Angie Russo is a paralegal at Thompson and Associates where Mr. Thompson has hired the handsome (in Angie’s opinion) lawyer, Charles Longfellow III. The office is deserted when Angie gets a call from Octo-Cat who is unnerved that there is a fly in is Evian and he wants Angie to come home right away to deal with the situation (he is a tad bit spoiled). Angie is so busy talking to Octo-Cat on her iPad show more that she does not notice Charles come up behind her. In order to keep her special gift a secret, Charles wants her help on his latest case. Brock Calhoun is accused of murdering Ruth and Bill Hayes. Public opinion is against Brock and it does not help that a certain local reporter (aka Angie’s mother) will be doing an hour long special on the crime. Charles has a witness that he wishes Angie to question—Yo-Yo, the Hayes’ Yorkshire Terrier. Angie needs Octo-Cat’s assistance in talking to the hyper little pup who has the gall to lick the persnickety canine on his face. Unfortunately, Yo-Yo has blocked his parents murder and is unaware of their passing. Angie decides to do a little digging and enlists Nan’s assistance. Nan’s acting talents and charm come in handy in getting people to open up to them. Angie cannot believe what her life has become since she was shocked by the coffee pot. Will Angie, Charles, Nan, Octo-Cat and Yo-Yo be able to prove Brock’s innocence?

Terrier Transgressions is the second hair raising tale in the Pet Whisperer PI series. Angie Russo was shocked when she plugged in an ancient coffee pot and woke up being able to talk to Octo-Cat. Angie and Octo-Cat have settled into a routine which basically means Angie giving into the cat’s numerous demands (he has his own iPad). I thought Terrier Transgressions contained good writing and moved along at a fast clip. I like Molly Fitz’s engaging writing style. While Terrier Transgressions can be read alone, I recommend reading Kitty Confidential first. Terrier Transgressions is a humorous cozy mystery that will have you laughing from the first chapter to the last. Octo-Cat plus Nan provide witty commentary and they are such over-the-top characters. I loved Octo-Cat’s reaction to the harness and leash that Angie purchased. My favorite line from Terrier Transgressions comes from Octo-Cat who says, “I am a cat, not a common mouth breathing dog.” You can certainly tell Octo-Cat’s opinion of dogs. The ending left me chuckling and eager to pick up Hairless Harassment. show less