Meow if it's Murder by T.C. LoTempio

For the two years I have worked as a bookseller, I have avoided the mystery section of my store like the plague. I have never had a tolerance for novels following the brooding, damaged detective main character as they solve crimes and have a drinking problem. I have a lot of old ladies tendencies, but I swore reading cozies would never be one of them. Well, clearly I lied to myself because the moment I saw the cover and description, I knew I had to own this book. Filled with wit, humor, a handsome cat and constant plot twists (plus a steamy little romance) this book had my full attention from the moment I picked it up.

Our main character Nora Charles has just returned to he hometown of Cruz, California from Chicago to take over her mother's sandwich shop, since she'd just passed away. Having been a crime reporter, specializing in mob stories, Nora's new quiet life lasts a whopping 15 minutes before she's diving head first in a cold case involving her late mother's good friend. As the questions begin piling up with little end in sight, Nora is surprised by a chubby tuxedo cat showing up at her shop. Welcoming himself into her life (as most cats do) Nora finds herself a very reluctant cat owner, until she discovers he once belonged to a PI and may have some detective skills up his sleeve. With a shocking ability of communication, Nick literally spells out clues for Nora using scrabble tiles when she just needs a little extra nudge. Right when it seems like Nora will never be able to figure out just who dun' it, everything wraps up and ties together with a neat little bow.

For my first cozy, I have to say it was amazing. Being anti-mystery genre, I was shocked to find myself entirely submerged and loving this novel. I've got so many questions left about our little sleuth kitty Nick and am already dying for the next installment. The author is coming to my store on Tuesday, December 2nd and I've gotta remember to ask her how I can teach my cat to play scrabble too. Hilarious, witty, intriguing and exciting this beguiling read will definitely entertain a variety of readers, even those that aren't big cat fans. This is bar none my recommendation for anyone looking for a neat mystery not focused entirely on a police force or detective.