The Time for Murder is Meow by TC LoTempio

Item: The Time for Murder is Meow
Author: karenbaron

Posted June 13, 2021 by karenbaron in Blog Tour, Contest - Giveaway, Mystery, Review, Series / 2 Comments

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Time for Murder is Meow

by T.C. LoTempio
Series: Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries #1
Published by Beyond the Page Publishing on June 9, 2021
Genres: Mystery
Pages: 236
Format: Kindle
Source: Great Escapes Book Tours
Goodreads
BookBub
Get Your Copy at: Amazon

Shell McMillan and her furry sidekicks aren’t kitten around when they set out to catch a killer . . .

When her TV series is canceled, struggling actress Shell McMillan considers it a blessing in disguise. A beloved aunt who recently died left her a pet shop in her will, and she sees it as the perfect chance to walk away from Hollywood and make a fresh start in the sleepy town of Fox Hollow.

But adjusting to small-town life won’t be easy, as Shell realizes when the head of the museum board is found murdered not long after Shell had a very public argument with her. And when the new kid in town is fingered for the crime, she’ll have to rely on her own wit and pluck and the kindness of strangers to get herself off the hook.

Desperate to exonerate herself and catch the real culprit, Shell begins digging into the lives of the local residents, and she quickly discovers that the victim had no shortage of enemies. As the suspect list grows and time runs short, Shell and her cats will have to claw their way out of danger—and it’s meow or never . . .

Note: This is a fully revised version of a book originally published in 2019

The Time for Murder is Meow by TC LoTempio is a great way to get this series going.

Can Shell McMillan start a new quiet life in Fox Hollow, Connecticut?

Shell McMillan

Shell McMillan is an actress that retired to go live in her aunt’s hometown and run the pet shop she inherited. I have to say that I love small towns and I wouldn’t mind living in this one. Well, except for the fact that there was a murder that took place there. Shell is, of course, our main heroine who wants to start a new life and keep her aunt’s legacy alive. She gets noticed around town but not as bad as when she lived in Hollywood. The residents in Fox Hollow understand that she wants to start a new life, especially since she has big shoes to fill. Her aunt’s pet shop is quite the place that gets many people to buy stuff for their furry companions and, well, their not-so furry ones.

There is a lot to like about Shell and some things to not like about her. One thing to like about Shell is that once she gets her mind made up about something, there is no way of turning it around unless you find evidence to support why she shouldn’t be doing it. But, on the other hand, one of the things to dislike about her is that she is stubborn to a tee and won’t stop at anything until she gets what she wants, in this case, for her aunt’s Cary Grant movie memorabilia to be at the museum. Well, that is until Amelia Witherspoon turned up dead, leaving Shell as the prime suspect.

The Mystery

Shell McMillan finds Amelia Witherspoon’s dead body in the museum’s library and the police, of course, have to think of her as a suspect. To prove herself innocent in the eyes of the townsfolk, and of course, a charming looking detective, what harm can be done to look at the case. Shell thinking that set things rolling not only the killer but a certain friend of hers. Everything happens for a reason, and I think that what happens in this book is funny in a way. I figured out who killed Amelia but not the motive.

Four Stars

The Time for Murder is Meow by TC LoTempio is a perfect way to reboot this series. I loved the whole thing, even though I did figure out who did it but not with why. That motive and how the killer had the means and opportunity eluded me until it came out. Ms. LoTempio has done an excellent job on this book. The cats Purrday and Kahula are fantastic, along with Shell’s friends from Hollywood. I am giving The Time for Murder is Meow by TC LoTempio four stars and recommend it to anyone that loves cozy mysteries, especially ones that feature cats!

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Happy Reading!

About T.C. LoTempio

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.

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