BLOG TOUR AND GIVEAWAY: Purr M For Murder (A Cat Rescue Mystery) by T.C. LoTempio

BOOK INFORMATION

Purr M for Murder: A Cat Rescue Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Crooked Lane Books (March 14, 2017)
Hardcover: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1683310921
Kindle ASIN: B01N6P3WYP

Synopsis: 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.

Review: I'm a HUGE fan of this author's Nick and Nora series, so I was thrilled to learn she was releasing a new series. As hard as it may be to believe, I think I'm going to love this one even more. The cat shelter, and the fact that it is no-kill, are predominant parts of the story, which makes it near and dear to my heart as a cat lover.

Like Nick in the other series, there is a cat who plays a part in helping Sydney solve the murder...Toby the orange tabby, who is definitely working his way into my heart as well. 

We also get the hint of romance between Syd and the new detective in town, Will Worthington, who was a friend of hers in school. 

The cast of supporting characters is well-developed as well, and I look forward to getting to know more about them as well as Syd, Kat and Will.

The plot is well-written, and although I had several suspicions about the murderer throughout the book, I wasn't totally sure until the actual reveal. Already can't wait to read the next book in the series.

**I received a copy of this book through NetGalley with no expectation of a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Four stars

About the author

While Toni Lotempio does not commit – or solve – murders in real life, she has no trouble doing it on paper. Her lifelong love of mysteries began early on when she was introduced to her first Nancy Drew mystery at age 10 – The Secret in the Old Attic.  She (and ROCCO, albeit he’s uncredited) pen the Nick and Nora mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime – the first volume, MEOW IF ITS MURDER, debuted Dec. 2, 2014. Followed by #2, CLAWS FOR ALARM.   #3, CRIME AND CATNIP, was released in December. She, Rocco and Maxx make their home in Clifton, New Jersey, just twenty minutes from the Big Apple – New York. Catch up with them at www.tclotempio.net and www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com

Where to find them:

ROCCO’s blog:

www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com

Website:

https://www.tclotempio.net/

 facebook:

 https://www.facebook.com/toni.lotempio.5 

Twitter:

@RoccoBlogger – https://twitter.com/@RoccoBlogger

Purchase Links:

Amazon  B&N 

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BLOG TOUR AND GIVEAWAY: Crime And Catnip (Nick and Nora Mystery #3) by T.C. LoTempio

Crime and Catnip (A Nick and Nora Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Berkley (December 6, 2016)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425270226
E-Book ASIN: B01CZCW4ZY

Synopsis: Nick and Nora aren’t just pussyfooting around this time as they deal with a missing person’s case and murder.While catering a gala for the Cruz Museum, Nora Charles agrees to look into the disappearance of director Violet Crenshaw’s niece, a case previously undertaken by her frisky feline friend Nick’s former owner, a private eye whose whereabouts are also currently unknown. 
 
As Nora and her curious cat Nick pull at the string of clues, they begin to unravel a twisted tale of coded messages, theft, false identities, murder, and international espionage. Nora dares to hope that the labyrinth of leads will not only help them locate the missing young woman, but also solve the disappearance of the detective. That’s if Nora can stay alive long enough to find him...

  
INCLUDES DELICIOUS SANDWICH RECIPES

Review: I'm a big fan of this series and have been since the beginning. All three of the books in this series so far are fun, easy reads.

Nick, a chubby black and white cat who adopted Nora in the first book, is once again a major part of the story, and of solving the crime.  I love that he is such a major character in this series, unlike the animals in most other cozy series. 

Nick's former owner is still missing, and the case Nick and Nora are trying to solve this time around is a missing person that Nick Atkins had been trying to find. That turns out not to be the only mystery the amazing duo has to solve, however. This suspenseful cozy involves secret codes and espionage as well as a missing person. 
As usual, Nora puts herself in danger while trying to solve the case...and Nick actually uses his claws to help her out.  I can't wait to see what other adventures these two have in the future---and if they ever find out what happened to the human Nick.

I received this book to review through Great Escapes Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

Rating: Four stars

About the author
While Toni Lotempio does not commit – or solve – murders in real life, she has no trouble doing it on paper. Her lifelong love of mysteries began early on when she was introduced to her first Nancy Drew mystery at age 10 – The Secret in the Old Attic. She (and ROCCO, albeit he’s uncredited) pen the Nick and Nora mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime – and in Spring 2017, the new CAT RESCUE mysteries from Crooked Lane! She, Rocco and company make their home in Clifton, New Jersey, just twenty minutes from the Big Apple – New York. Catch up with them at www.tclotempio.com and www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com

Author Links

Where to find them:
ROCCO’s blog:
www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com

Website:
www.tclotempio.com

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/toni.lotempio.5

Twitter:
@RoccoBlogger
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/

Purchase Links

Amazon        B&N

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK TOUR, EXCERPT AND GIVEAWAY: Claws For Alarm (Nick And Nora Mysteries #2) by T.C. Lotempio

Claws for Alarm by T.C. LoTempio 
Since inheriting her mother’s sandwich shop, Nora Charles is more about hot grilled paninis than cold-blooded murder—until her sister Lacey is arrested. The victim, an esteemed art collector and Lacey’s bullying professor, was stabbed in the heart. Apparently, all over a lousy grade. Off campus, things were just as dicey. The prof had an ex with secrets, a trophy wife set to inherit a fortune in masterworks, and a scorned student mistress. Going undercover, Nora realizes that investigating this crime is the biggest test of her sleuthing career. Because if she fails, even Nick’s animal instinct won’t be enough to rescue Lacey from a perfectly executed framing.

Review: This is the second book in the Nick and Nora series. When I got the opportunity to read and review this one, I decided to listen to the audiobook of the first one so I would be up to speed.  Both of the books in this series so far are fun, easy reads.

Nick, a chubby black and white cat who adopted Nora in the last book, is once again a major part of the story, and of solving the crime.  His previous owner, Nick Atkins, is still missing, and aside from trying to keep her sister out of prison, Nora is trying to find out what happened to him.

There are plenty of suspects to keep you guessing as to the real identity of the killer up to the moment of the reveal. The ending will definitely leave you looking forward to the next book!!

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**

Rating: Five stars

Excerpt:

The area appeared as deserted as a cemetery on Halloween, and twice as eerie. Nick trotted along beside me as we made our way deeper into the warehouse. Suddenly he froze, tail upright, the hairs puffed and fluffed out like a giant fan. 

“What’s wrong?” I whispered, even though I knew he couldn’t answer. We stood in silence for a moment, and suddenly I did hear something. A very faint sound, from far away…like a door closing.

“Come on,” I hissed. I lifted my head, sniffed at the air. It smelled pretty stale, but there was another scent, cigarette smoke. I racked my brain, trying to remember if I’d seen either Julia or Samms smoking.

Nick’s tail swished and he pawed at arrows painted on the ground. He trotted ahead of me at a brisk pace, and I fell into step. We followed the painted arrows along a white-tiled hallway down to a door with a shade pulled all the way down. A sign placed hap-hazardly in the window proclaimed it CLOSED.

I tried the door which seemed to be stuck. I looked at the doorframe, which appeared to be less than sturdy, checked it for alarm wires. Seeing none, I raised my leg and gave the door a swift, hard kick. It clicked open an inch, and I pushed it all the way open. We walked into a tiny office not much bigger than a postage stamp. A large metal desk and battered file cabinet took up the majority of the space. Another door at the far end stood part-way open. Nick suddenly tensed, and I saw the hairs on his back rise. His tail fluffed out, and he started to growl, deep in his throat.

I frowned. “What’s wrong? What do you sense?”

Nick reared up on his hind legs and then shot through the partially open door. I had no choice but to follow. The room I now found myself in appeared to be a slightly larger version of the previous office. Nick crouched in front of a large metal desk and as I entered, he shifted his body slightly. I caught a glimpse of two feet, very still, shod in the pair of eggplant Louboutins I’d admired earlier in the evening.

“Oh, crap,” I cried. “Please tell me that’s not what I think it is.” I walked around Nick and peeped around the edge of the desk. I saw a twisted figure in a white raincoat bunched up around shapely legs, a tumble of black hair covering its face, the neck bent at an unnatural angle.

“Shit,” I said.

“MA-ROW!” Nick yowled.

I heard a sound behind me as Nick dived under a nearby chair. My heart started to beat wildly in my chest. The last time he’d pulled something like that I’d been caught next to a dead body and hauled off to the police station. His fat rear had barely wiggled out of sight before the door slammed back and I found myself looking first down the barrel of a .45 and then, as I raised my gaze, at the grim, unsmiling face of Detective Leroy Samms. He looked at me, then at the feet, then back to me again. He lowered his arm, slipped his gun back into his shoulder holster. “Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in.” 

I responded almost automatically. “He didn’t drag me. I walked in on my own.”

One eyebrow quirked. “Pardon? It’s an expression, Nora.”

“Oh, sure. I knew that.” The queasy sensation in my stomach was getting stronger, and I really felt like gagging. I started to push past Samms but his strong fingers reached out and encircled my elbow in a grip of steel. 

 “No need to run off.”

I pressed my palm against my cheek. “I – I’m not. I just felt a little…squeamish.”

“Of course you do,” he said, still not cracking a smile. “I’ve got some Pepto back at the station. Fix you right up. Then we’re going to have a chat, you and I.” His grip on my elbow tightened.  “Ms. Charles, you’ve got some explaining to do.”

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Praise for the Nick and Nora Mysteries
“Nick and Nora are a winning team.”—Rebecca Hale, New York Times bestselling author of How to Paint a Cat 
“Nick and Nora are the purrfect sleuthy duo!”—*Victoria Laurie, New York Times bestselling author of the Psychic Eye Mystery series 

Author T.C. LoTempio 
Born in New York City, T. C. LoTempio is the national bestselling author of Meow If It’s Murder, the first in the Nick and Nora Mystery series. She has been a staff reporter at the young adult magazine Susabella Passengers and Friends for more than a decade. When she isn’t reporting or writing novels, she and her cat Rocco fundraise for Nathan Fillion’s charity, Kids Need to Read.

Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook

 
  Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 12/4/15 
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK BLAST: Claws For Alarm (A Nick & Nora Mystery) by T.C. LoTempio

Claws for Alarm by T.C. LoTempio
Since inheriting her mother’s sandwich shop, Nora Charles is more about hot grilled paninis than cold-blooded murder—until her sister Lacey is arrested. The victim, an esteemed art collector and Lacey’s bullying professor, was stabbed in the heart. Apparently, all over a lousy grade. Off campus, things were just as dicey. The prof had an ex with secrets, a trophy wife set to inherit a fortune in masterworks, and a scorned student mistress. Going undercover, Nora realizes that investigating this crime is the biggest test of her sleuthing career. Because if she fails, even Nick’s animal instinct won’t be enough to rescue Lacey from a perfectly executed framing.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Praise for the Nick and Nora
“Nick and Nora are a winning team.”—Rebecca Hale, New York Times bestselling author of How to Paint a Cat “Nick and Nora are the purrfect sleuthy duo!”—*Victoria Laurie, New York Times bestselling author of the Psychic Eye Mystery series
 
Author T.C. LoTempio
Born in New York City, T. C. LoTempio is the national bestselling author of Meow If It’s Murder, the first in the Nick and Nora Mystery series. She has been a staff reporter at the young adult magazine Susabella Passengers and Friends for more than a decade. When she isn’t reporting or writing novels, she and her cat Rocco fundraise for Nathan Fillion’s charity, Kids Need to Read.

Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook

     
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 11/30/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway