Cat Got Your Secrets

I just love this series so much. The author is so witty and makes me laugh constantly with little cute sayings. The characters are a hoot and the town is a perfect setting for the story. . I swear someday I may get in my car and find Furry Godmothers. It has to be real with the vivid description the author provides. What a wonderland for pet owners who want to spoil their pets.

Lacy is just minding her own business when another body seems to land in her path. How does a person get locked in a deep freezer and die? As luck would have it, the last person to be seen with the deceased is Lacey's dad. I love it when the police tell a suspect not to leave town. I think , now what if that person was really dangerous, do you think he would say, show more "Ok officer I won't go anywhere." He would be gone so fast you would see the dust as he dashed out of town. Ok I got on a rabbit trail, but I always find it funny when police tell suspects such a silly thing.

Lacy and her sidekick Scarlet are off to find out who the killer is before her father is arrested. The author is right about them being like Lucy and Ethel. They seem to get themselves in some funny situations. It's a wonder they aren't in jail with their on the edge of committing crimes daily routine. I loved them both and they kept the story lively. Lacey's mother is a bit over the top for my liking. Who dresses in all black to deliver a casserole to the deceased widow? Yes I thought she was a big loony toons at times but it added a bit of quirkiness to her character.

The best scene in the entire story to me is when Lacy and Scarlet are snooping around and get caught. Oh my what a classic Lucy and Ethel move . I can't get enough of Lacy and Scarlet's shenanigans. I won't spoil it, but will saying coins rolling on the ground are involved. The author really does a great job of lining up suspects and I had a hard time figuring out who the culprit was. I loved that the story took a more serious tone as Lacy delved deeper into who the killer might be. There is a bit of a love triangle mixed in the story that really intrigued me. Overall I loved the story and found it be very well written. It's another hit for a very talented author.

I received a copy of this book from The Great Escape Virtual Book Tour. The review is my own opinion. show less

Lacy Crocker is the proud owner of Furry Godmother, a pet boutique and organic treat bakery, in New Orleans. Cat Got Your Secrets is the third book in the Kitty Couture Mystery series. This newest installment is centered around Valentine's Day (without being sappy about it, too -- which I loved!) and a National Pet Pageant.

Lacy is on her way to deliver some treats when she sees emergency vehicles at a crime scene. She discovers that one of her father's friends has been murdered. The major problem is that the last person to see Wallace Becker alive was her father. Lacy knows she has to act fast and investigate Becker's death to prevent her father from being arrested, while juggling her business, serving on the welcoming committee for the show more pet pageant, and her usual busy life.

Lacy is an enjoyable main character, although a bit spoiled and immature at times. Her mother is incredibly annoying (but the character is meant to come off as utterly impossible). I did find it a bit hard to connect on a personal level with the characters as they are not well developed, which happens sometimes in a fast-paced cozy. I may have had a bit of a disconnect because this is the first book in this series that I've read. I was able to pick up the plot and basic understanding of the characters so that I could enjoy the mystery, but maybe I would feel more connected with these characters if I read the first two books. But, my disconnect might be caused by the fact I don't really find the characters all that likable? They come off as rich and spoiled. But, I was reading the book for the mystery, not to fall in love with the characters. The mystery starts off almost immediately....and kept my attention for the entire book. Great mystery. Slightly annoying characters.

I liked the fast pace, humor, setting, and quirky characters (with the exception of her pushy, annoying mother). There were plenty of suspects, and the mystery is engaging. I enjoyed Cat Got Your Secrets enough to backtrack and read the first two books. Middle of the road rating on this one for me. The mystery kept me reading....but I didn't really care for the characters. If I change my mind after reading the beginning of the series, I will come back and amend this review.

For more information on the author and her books, check out her website: http://juliechasebooks.com/

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** show less

Cat Got Your Secrets by Julie Chase is the third story in A Kitty Couture Mystery series. Lacy Marie Crocker owns Furry Godmother in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is a pet boutique and organic treat bakery that caters to all animals. Lacy is dropping off dreidel dog treats for a bark-mitzvah at a catering hall next to The Cuddle Brigade when she notices a slew of emergency vehicles. She gets out to inquire what is occurring and discovers that her father’s friend, Wallace Becker is dead. When Lacy discovers her father was the last person (besides the killer) to see Wallace alive, she knows she needs to act quickly. Lacy starts delving into Wallace Becker’s life to find out who would have wanted him dead. She needs to work in her show more investigation in between baking pet treats, creating costumes, helping with the preparations for the party honoring her father, and her NPP Welcoming Committee commitments (thanks to her mother). In addition, there are her two suitors, Chase Hawthorne and Detective Jack Oliver.

Cat Got Your Secrets was easy to read and had a good pace. I did feel that the murder occurred too early in the book (right at the beginning) which makes the book feel long. Cat Got Your Secrets can be read alone. Everything a reader needs to know is provided in the story. I felt the author tried to stuff too much into one book. There are numerous people and animals introduced (along with wacky costumes for the pets). None of the human characters are fully developed (very superficial). There are details missing from the story (an example is the father’s first name). I am rating Cat Got Your Secrets 2 out of 5 stars (just not for me). Lacy is a difficult character to like (and lacks depth). She is 30 going on 16 (I might be giving her too much credit). Lacy has unreasonable expectations, runs around like the Roadrunner, overreacts to every little thing, breaks laws, etc. There is just one zany antic after another. Then there is her demanding mother (a woman who loves parties and events). The mystery is not complicated and it is easily solved early in the novel (one clue will give it away). There was a repetition of information especially in the beginning. Cat Got Your Secrets failed to capture and hold my attention. I wanted more substance and less wacky. I am not the right audience for A Kitty Couture Mystery series. show less

Secrets abound in this tale, and it looks like Lacy will have to sniff them out. When a friend of her father’s is found dead, her father becomes the prime suspect. Lacy is determined to prove his innocence, and she badgers her friend, Detective Jack Oliver, to let her help with the case. Lacy has her hands full looking for the real guilty party, placating her mother and helping with her mother’s charities, running her own high-end pet couture shop, and trying not to get killed herself killed it the meantime. This delightful mystery has just the right amount of romance to complicate Lacy’s life and make it interesting. Set in New Orleans around Valentine’s Day, this tale will have you laughing one minute and gasping the next.

Lacy Crocker has settled into a routine with her business and her social life in New Orleans. Her business, Furry Godmother is a pet boutique and organic treat bakery that caters to all animals and is booming. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, she’s busier than ever. She is also helping her mother organize the upcoming National Pet Pageant.

When delivering an order of dreidel-shaped doggy biscuits for a Saint Berdoodle’s bark-mitzvah, Lacy stumbles onto a murder scene. Unfortunately, the last person to talk to the victim alive was her own father.

It’s up to Lacy to clear her father's name from the suspect list before Detective Jack Oliver decides to arrest him. Things are as simple as she thinks they should be when show more she starts receiving threatening letters from a blackmailer. Threat aside, Lacy doesn’t know when to stop.

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Series: A Kitty Couture Mystery - Book 3
Author: Julie Chase
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

The third addition to the Kitty Couture mystery series, Cat Got Your Secrets is a fun and entertaining read. The character of Lacy is interesting even though a bit immature at times. However, this helps the reader understand the gravity of the situations Lacy gets herself involved in. Which her friends and family are continuously trying to prevent her from getting hurt by.

The character of Jack Oliver is a wonderful romantic lead and is clearly the soul love interest for Lacy. Chase is great, but he is too far into the friend zone to be a real love interest. It will be interesting to learn how this plays out in future additions to the series. Will Lacy grow up and accept that Jack is the only man for her?

Lacy’s mother and father are parents who care deeply about their daughter and also their community. They may not be perfect but they try to do the best they can under the difficult circumstances Lacy puts them into. It would be great if Imogene played a bigger role, and the hints of otherworldly inferences could be made a little more prominent. This will be interesting to see if this happens in future books in the series.

Of course, the story is filled with animals of all types, cats, dogs. llamas, and more, as well as their eccentric owners. Each of the animals and owners is a welcome addition to the story and the plot.

The setting of New Orleans is portrayed vividly. If the reader closes their eyes, they can almost smell the Cajun food cooking, hear the music of the bayou, and feel the sticky heat on a humid day. For anyone who has ever paid a visit to this historical and busy community, they will have a sense of going back in time. For those who haven’t visited New Orleans, they will definitely want to spend some time there.

Ms. Chase writes an easy to read, an entertaining and soul filled story of murder, relationships and ultimately, home and family. The plot is easy to follow if a little disjointed at times. The reader is never led so far down another path that they forget which direction the story is going.

Cat Got Your Secrets is highly recommended. Love of animals, food, and family will draw the reader in without ever having to read the first two books. It is hoped that this series continues on for many more books to come.
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I got an advanced copy of this from netgalley. Julie Chase brings her plot to life with the help of her relatable characters, and her description of the great city of New Orleans. Lacy Crocker is back and finds herself thrust into another murder mystery. When her father is named a person of interest for the murder of his friend after an argument, Lacy knows that she has to help detective Jack Oliver solve the mystery. Lacy also has to help her mother with the organizing of the upcoming National Pet Pageant all the while deciding if her heart belongs to Jack or Chase.

I absolutely love these books. I have always been one to love trivia, and these books are fabulous for it. It is hilarious, yet informative at the same time. And of course, some really bad jokes along the way. There are even updates to people who were in the news (very popular news items, too) like Baby Jessica. This is one of those books you can lose time in reading it and wonder where the time went. I loved this book and highly recommend it if you like trivia, or just want to learn something new everyday. It is pretty up-to-date on most current events (well, up to printing time that is). It is not heavy reading, but light, fun reading while learning a fun fact or two! Read it!