Meow If It's Murder

Nick and Nora Mysteries, Book 1

By: T. C. LoTempio

Narrated by: Rebecca Mitchell

Back in her hometown, Nora reconnects with old friends and makes some new ones - like Nick, the charming feline who seems determined to be her cat. But not everything about Cruz is friendly. Writing for a local online magazine, Nora investigates the curious death of socialite Lola Grainger. Though it was deemed an accident, Nora suspects foul play. And it seems that her cat does too.

Apparently, Nick used to belong to a P.I. who disappeared while investigating Lola Grainger's death. The coincidence is spooky, but not as spooky as the clues Nick spells out for her with Scrabble letters - clues that lead her down an increasingly dangerous path. Whether fate put her on this case or not, solving it will take all of Nora's wits, and maybe a few of Nick's nine lives.

©2014 Toni LoTempio (P)2015 Tantor

Mostly Good

I enjoyed the characters and the story, but the reader had these odd gaps in speaking. It was VERY annoying at first, but I did somewhat get use to it (not entirely). It detracted from the story. I pray the reader is smoother in future books or that someone else does the reading.

Good cozy mystery

What did you love best about Meow If It's Murder?

Love Nick the cat. Daniel the sweet and hot FBI agent. Love the secondary mystery of missing PI.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes. Good twists towards the end.

Which character – as performed by Rebecca Mitchell – was your favorite?

She was great at all characters and pacing. Easy to listen to.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No. Just a nice cozy mystery to relax and crochet to.

Any additional comments?

Please keep Daniel!

Good Start

This was an entertaining book with interesting characters and a lot of twists and turns. I look forward to the next book.

one thing missing

the book is good but needs a much better narrator. her voice is way too soft.

LOVE NORA AND NICK

I LOVED THE CHARACTERS, THE STORY, THE NARRATION, AND I AM SO EXCITED TO FIND THIS NEW-TO-ME SERIES. NORA IS SMART, CONFIDENT, AND I LOVE THAT SHE WASN'T AFRAID TO WALK AWAY FROM A CAREER TO CONTINUE HER MOTHER'S DREAM - NO REGRETS, SELF PITY, OR EMBARRASSMENT. SHE IS STRONG WITHOUT BEING BRASH OR ANGRY OR NEEDING TO PROVE ANYTHING TO HERSELF OR ANYONE. THIS IS A PROTAGONIST I COULD ASPIRE TO BE.

Bill Shatner diction didn’t help this story

The story is OK. Nick the cat is very cool. The main character is a woman that takes chances she should not, especially as she won’t even carry a gun while investigating murder.
I could tolerate this somewhat irritating story, but the narrator speaks like a female William Shatner. “The cat. Jumped. On to the counter. And yowled. Loudly.”
The narrator’s voice is pleasant, and she is clear and easy to understand. Unfortunately, the pacing of her words is painful. I kept hoping it would get better but it didn’t.
I tried to finish it but the ending got so convoluted I just gave up. I’m returning this one.

Great new series

Would you consider the audio edition of Meow If It's Murder to be better than the print version?

I have the Kindle version and the audio version, but I prefer audio in all instances. I don't have much time for reading, but I do a lot of traveling and so I can always fit audio books into my schedule. So I'm always glad when my favorite authors' books are available in audio.

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed this and hope there are many more books in the series. It is fast paced and held my interest throughout. And I'm in love with Nick. Looking forward to the next in the series - Claws for Alarm.

Mediocre at best

What did you like best about Meow If It's Murder? What did you like least?

The "Nick & Nora" idea is appealing, and the idea of leaving a rat-race job to return to your roots is OK. But the whole Mafia/witness protection concept is too "out there" for me. A former crime reporter moves back to her small town which just happens to contain not one, but two protected mafia informants and assorted Mafia bad guys - too much to believe.

Would you recommend Meow If It's Murder to your friends? Why or why not?

No. There are many other books out there that are much better that I would recommend.

How could the performance have been better?

It could have been smoother. The narration seemed stilted at times, with awkward pauses. The only reason I didn't rate the narrator lower is that she did a good job of making a different voice for each character.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No.

Any additional comments?

If the next book in the series was available free at my local library, I might listen to it or read it. But I wouldn't pay for any more.

Cute, funny mystery. Will be reading next story.

Very cute story. Not really impressed with reader. Love Nick's personality. Look forward to hearing how love life's pan out.

Great new series!

Love the characters and the plot. It was a wonderful start to hopefully a long-running series! Absolute great!