I absolutely loved Cat Got Your Cash by Julie Chase. Lacy's line of pet couture fashion items are fast becoming a popular trend. She's even caught the eye of high-end, local fashion designer, Annie Lane. Sure that she's on her way to pet fashion greatness, Lacy's dream is busted, when she arrives for an appointment, and finds Siamese kittens stamping their prints through the house in what looks like blood. Now the keeper of the kittens, Lacy has more than another murder to contend with, especially with the trust that accompanies them.

Lacy is from an affluent family in the New Orleans Garden District but she doesn't act like she comes from money. She is very down-to-earth and her character has been written wonderfully. She has the opportunity to never want for anything but she wants to make her own way in the world. Instead of falling back on family money, she worked hard to get through college and started her own business back in the Garden District. Her meddling in the case is vast, much to the chagrin (and worry) of handsome homicide detective, Jack Oliver.

Oh, Detective Jack Oliver....be still thy fluttering heart. His character in Cat Got Your Cash is a fresh take on cozy mystery heroes. Sure, he's the standard potential love interest police officer but he's so much more. His banter with Lacy had me rooting for them through the entire book. Their chemistry sizzles even though I think some of it is lost on Lacy.

Jack Oliver isn't the only potential love interest in Cat Got Your Cash. Her friend Scarlet's brother-in-law, Chase Hawthorne, is back in town and has set his sights on Lacy. I just don't feel their chemistry like I do when Jack enters the picture. There's nothing particularly wrong with Chase but I just don't feel any of the right vibes when he's with Lacy. The sizzle and tension are non-existent; I actually get more of a brother-sister vibe from them (except when Chase mentions things about kissing Lacy).

I am impressed by the way the author was able to keep suspicion off of the true killer. I was none the wiser until the big reveal and didn't suspect a thing. The path to solving the murder was paved with several potential candidates that had means and motive. Bravo, Julie Chase, bravo!!

I anxiously await Book 3, Cat Got Your Secrets!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of the book and all opinions are my own.

This book is the second book of the A Kitty Couture Mystery series. What a fun cozy mystery book this is. It was fun and mysterious, with a bit of romance and kitties, and yes, a murder! It is set in New Orleans, which makes it even more fun. I have not read the first one yet, but plan to now. It was well written and the characters were well developed. It has a good storyline that made it hard to put down. Loved it!

Cat Got Your Cash by Julie Chase is the second book in A Kitty Couture Mystery series. Lacy Crocker owns the Furry Godmother in New Orleans, Louisiana. She designs outfits for animals and creates organic treats. Lacy is picking out which of her pet couture creations she is going to show Annie Lane, fashion designer. Lacy is hoping to partner with Annie and have a pet companion line to Annie’s Mardi Gras designs. Lacy arrives at Annie’s home and receives no answer to the ringing of the bell. Lacy knocks on the door, and it swings open to a meowing Siamese kitten. Lacy follows the kitten into the kitchen where another kitten awaits along with Annie in a pool of blood. A startled Lacy drops her box of designer creations into the blood, and then picks up the murder weapon. Lacy contacts Detective Jack Oliver instead of 911 believing he will understand the situation (like her fingerprints on the murder weapon). When Lacy finds out that the kittens are being sent to animal shelter, she steps in and offers to take care of them. The next day Lacy returns home to pick up the kittens to find them gone. Someone broke in and stole them. Thankfully, the kittens are quickly retrieved, and Lacy relocates them to her parents’ home. Lacy discovers that Annie set up a trust for Cotton and Cashmere, the kittens. Dylan Latherope, Annie’s ex-husband, wants to regain custody of the kittens and stalks Lacy trying to obtain them. Lacy sets out to discover the identity of Annie’s killer while working on new costume designs and handling obligations she has incurred from her parents in return for cat sitting duties. She does manage to find time to flirt with Jack Oliver and Chase Hawthorne. But then the killer decides to take matters into his own hands, and Lacy finds herself and her beloved cat, Penelope in danger. Lacy will need her wits about her if she is going to make it out of this situation alive along with Penelope.

Cat Got Your Cash is easy to read and has a fast pace. This book is definitely more cozy than mystery. I felt that more time is devoted to the Lacy’s zany antics than the murder mystery. There was one wacky incident after another in this book. It is a screwball type of humor that reminds me of I Love Lucy (I know I am dating myself with this reference—how about Young and Hungry for the millennials). I did find information repeated especially regarding Penelope wanting to ride the robotic vacuum cleaner at the store, Lacy’s mother with her phone calls and parties, Lacy’s attraction to the two men, and Imogene, her shop assistant, mystic abilities. I give Cat Got Your Cash 3 out of 5 stars. The mystery is not complicated and many readers will be able to identify the killer. Cat Got Your Cash is the second book in the series, but it can be read alone. Details from the Cat Got Your Diamonds (first book in series) and Lacy’s history are included in this novel. I was not a fan of this cozy mystery. It was just too inane and unrealistic for me. Lacy is a businesswoman (running her shop at a profit), but comes across as seriously lacking in the brains department. Then there is the love triangle (they certainly are popular in books this year) that dominates the story. If you enjoy outlandish, humorous type of novels (my mother loves them), then you should check out Cat Got Your Cash.

No one has ever asked Lacy Crocker if the cat's got her tongue. Lacy can't help but say what is on her mind. Which often leads to Lacy setting herself up for danger.
The fur will fly in this rollicking adventure as Lacy keeps trying to improve herself, her business and her relationship with her mother. What she needs to improve is her home security!

When her fashion heroine ends up dead and Lacy discovers her body, there is no way this feline fashion entrepreneur will keep her claws out of the investigation. Especially when the lead detective is the man of Lacy's dreams. Why do those dreams keep turning into nightmares?
Speaking of dreamy men, Chase Hawthorne moves back into Lacy's life, AND into the neighborhood.
How is it he keeps showing up unexpectedly when Lacy really needs a friend?

When the case seems solved and Lacy is fulfilling her familial duties, danger rears its head again.
This is New Orleans -- the beads are always being flung.

Llamas and chickens also play a roll in Lacy's exciting life.
Come for the felines and fashion, stay for the fun and flirtations.

Cat Got Your Cash (Kitty Couture Mystery #2) by Julie Chase is a sweet and fun cozy mystery. Lacy Marie Crocker designs clothes for pets. She is trying to make a go of it without help from the deep pockets of her parents. She is thrilled to have gotten an appointment with hometown celebrity designer Annie Lane about possibly creating a companion line for her designs. Kind of like mommy/doggy outfits. Too bad that when she shows up for her appointment she finds Annie dead. Now the killer seems to be after her. Good thing she has hunky homicide detective Jack Oliver and the also hunky Chase Hawthorne looking after her. Food, fun, fashion and frolicking Cat Got Your Cash is a delightful read.

Cat Got Your Cash, is the second installment in the A Kitty Coture Mystery series. While I did not read the first book, it in no way impaired my enjoyment of reading this one.
I'm kind of sucker for cat cozys.. so this has my name all over it. A quirky protagonist, Lacy,with a side kick cat, Penelope, that rides a vacuum, I was completely hooked. (It reminded me a little of the Jaine Austen series by Laura Levine which I also love. )
My favorite things :
Penelope.. the vacuum riding cat.. seriously, I want to go buy a robot vac and see if my cat will ride!
Imogene.. the sassy shop keeper..
Furry Godmother quips at the beginning of each chapter

Not so favorite things:
I figured out who the killer was before it was revealed.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed Cat Got Your Cash, and would recommend to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries. Looking forward to reading the next in this series, and going back, and picking up the first as well.

I really enjoyed this book! I haven't read the first book in this series but I will definitely be going back to read it. There are a lot of enjoyable characters in this book. There are a number of other things going on so I was constantly invested in the story, needing to know what would happen next and how everything would turn out. The killer wasn't easy to figure out. Once I thought I knew who it was, suspicion would go to someone else. I was totally taken by surprise! I really liked the idea of Lacy's shop. It's such a unique and cute idea. I also loved the descriptions of the French Quarter and other areas in New Orleans. You really get a feel for the environment down there and are able to picture everything like you're actually there yourself. I'm looking forward to reading future books in this series.

"What about the [missing] kittens?" I pushed. "Can we put out an Amber Alert?"

Lacy Crocker is the owner of the Furry Godmother, a shop in New Orleans that sells both homemade pet treats and custom couture for fuzzy friends. She is given the opportunity to meet with Annie Lane, her fashion design idol, and create some companion pieces for her upcoming show. But Lacy finds Annie dead in her home, and gets sucked into the mystery of who killed her.

This book is full of cat loving characters and has some fun moments, but it didn't hold my attention. The mystery felt like such a small aspect of the story. There's so much focus on the love triangle, Lacy's relationship with her parents, and the business. Lacy can be witty at times, but she's also very schoolmarm-y and naive. She's the uptight, less interesting version of Stephanie Plum. There's a bit of repetitiveness in the story: her cat wants to ride on the roomba, her mother obligates her to go to a society event, her shop assistant sees into the future, rinse and repeat. It started off strong for me, but I got less interested the more I read.

Setting: New Orleans, LA

Characters

Lacy Crocker, owner of the Furry Godmother, fashion designer for pets
Jack Oliver, New Orlean Police Detective, cranky most of the time, but I'm still in love with him
Additional characters - Lacy's parents; Jack's partner, Henri; Imogene, Lacy's former nanny; as well as various furry friends, a murder victim, and plenty of suspects in said murder
Plot: Lacy is getting ready to meet one of her heroes - designer Annie Lane. She is frantically preparing samples of her pet clothing and accessories to show Annie and rushes off to a meeting at the designer's New Orleans home. When she arrives, she finds the door unlocked, no one around, and Annie's two cats - Cotton and Cashmere - leaving bloody paw prints throughout the first floor. Lacy discovers Annie's body and is quickly involved in pestering, I mean, helping detective Jack Oliver figure out who killed the fashion icon. From the start, Lacy thinks the kittens have to be the key - her home is broken into and there's a creepy . . . someone in an oversized papier mache cat head following her around town. When she starts getting phone calls with a shiver-inducing song playing in her ear, things start to get really uncomfortable. Lacy insists on helping Jack, putting herself in danger along the way.

Pacing: Quick

Predictability: Low

Wild Card: Julie Chase has rapidly become one of my favorite authors - one of those writers who make you want to read anything and everything she writes. I love the whimsy in Cat Got Your Cash, the humor and lightheartedness that manages to be around throughout even the scariest and creepiest scenes. In my opinion, that's because of her heroine, Lacy. She's quirky and self-effacing and completely charming. Julie crafts scenes that crackle with chemistry - whether that be between Jack and Lacy or Lacy and Chase (#TeamJack) - and spark with suspense. I'm gushing here, I know, but I love everything about this book, this series, and this author. More, please!

Hit, Miss, Or Draw?: A definite hit!

Lacy is hoping she will finally get noticed big time when her idol, Annie Lane, schedules a meeting with her to talk about doing a line for her. Only when she arrives, she finds Annie dead and two siamese kittens complaining loudly. Lacy takes them home to keep them from going to the pound, but that opens a world a trouble. It seems someone not only killed Annie, but also wants the kittens and Lacy is in the way.

I enjoyed this book, just when you thought the crime was solved, it was time to think again. For Lacy to be a strong independent women she sure gets herself into some spots. Girl needs to take some self-defense classes or something!

I received an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley.

This was such a cute story. Lacy cannot shake her southern manners which is fun. She has two potential beaus which makes me laugh as well. She loves her cat and creates clothes and food for animals. It's enough to make you smile. The mystery has some twists, so I was surprised at the end. Great fun.

Book two of the Kitty Couture Mystery series. After finishing the first book I was happy to have the second one already since the first one ended with a bit of a question though it took awhile to answer it in this one. Lacy is hoping to work with her fashionista idol, but when she shows up for her appointment she finds her dead instead. Since she is again a suspect she finds herself involved whether she wants to be or not especially since she volunteered to take care of the dead woman's orphaned kittens who come with a trust for their care. As she struggles to clear her name she finds herself in danger which is not resolved until the end. I love the writing style since it keeps me hooked until I am done. Of course part of that could be because I am a huge animal fan and they are everywhere in these books. A must read for all cozy mystery animal lovers. I give it 4/5 stars.

Cat Got Your Cash is book two in the Kitty Couture Mystery series. The first book had me hooked and the second kept me hooked. This book added even more dimension to the already well developed characters and the plot had so many twists that kept you guessing with just enough humor to keep it light.
We once again join Lacy Crocker as she spends her days at her shop, thinking up new designs, and navigating life in New Orleans. She is granted a meeting with her favorite fashion designer to create a companion pet line, but instead of a meeting she stumbles upon the designer's dead body and is thrown head first into a another murder investigation.
The author does a wonderful job of creating tension without it really seeming that way. You have the relationship between Lacy and her mother. On the surface it seems semi strained but when reading between the lines, it is nothing but love and the fact they are so similar. Also, the triangle between Lacy, Chase, and Jack. What is so great is every single relationship touched upon really matters in the story. Every dynamic leads a in a direction to the end.
This book was full of mystery, humor, tension, and enough lightheartedness to fill a day curled up with a cup of coffee.This series is starting to hit its stride and I cannot wait to see what the author has in store for Lacy and company.

Fun, easy read with strong characters and a little romance. Chick-lit? Sure. But one of the better ones with interesting interactions and satisfying end

Set in New Orleans, Kitty Couture is starting to take off and has a famous fashion designer setting up a meeting with Lacy for a joint venture. When Lacy arrives for the meeting she find the Annie dead. Lacy takes Annie's kittens home with her until arrangements can be made but now the little kittens have disappeared. As Lacy searches for the lost kittens, she offers help to police detective Jack Oliver who is happy keep her company. I like the hint of romance and the various locations around the city.

Cat Got Your Cash is the second installment in the Kitty Couture Mystery series featuring Lacy Marie Crocker, owner of the Furry Godmother, New Orleans pet boutique. With business booming, Lacy is excited to meet with designer Annie Lane to discuss pairing her human fashions with Lacy's pet fashions.

Lacy arrives at the appointment and discovers Annie bludgeoned to death and her two Siamese kittens Cotton and Cashmere tracking through her blood. Unwilling to see the cats taken to the shelter, Lacy volunteers to take them home with her. It's not long before someone breaks in to her home and steals the cats, tracking them down via their microchips, Lacy discovers that the Siamese stand to inherit a lot of Annie's money.

Determined to protect the kittens and find Annie's killer, Lacy sets out with the help of Detective Jack Oliver, assistant shopkeeper Imogene, best friend Scarlet, her parents and attorney Chase Hawthorne. Plenty of suspects present themselves including Annie's ex husband Dylan Latherope, a group of pet bloggers, assistant Josie Fresca and fellow designer Shannon Martin.

A delightful cast of well developed characters in a cozy setting. Lacy's cat Penelope will have you laughing out loud as her favorite past time is to ride the Roomba, nicknamed Spot. The only draw back is the dreaded love triangle which I hope the author resolves soon.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley via Crooked Lane Books. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

Lacy Marie Crocker is absolutely delightful. I was transported to New Orleans with such expertise that I almost felt the humidity. Her family and surrounding cast of characters are well drawn and engaging. Cat Got Your Cash is a perfect blend of mystery, humor and suspense. I highly recommend it!

What a lovely story! I hadn't read this series before, but I am so happy to have been introduced to it. I like Lucy, I love Penelope and Scarlet, Chase is an absolute darling, Jack is gruff, and the story is compelling. The City of New Orleans is a fantastic backdrop, and reading this evokes images that make me want to visit ASAP. What's not to love? I eagerly look forward to the next one.

I loved it! All the important elements of a good story came together in a fun and furry mystery.
Lacy Crocker is the owner of a boutique featuring pet couture and organic pet treats. She is as quirky as you would expect for the protagonist of a cozy mystery and has a penchant for finding trouble, and dead bodies.
Finding the body of her fashion hero, Annie Lane, sets Lacy on a dangerous adventure through New Orleans hunting for Annie's killer. Along the way she gets help from the handsome homicide detective, Jack Oliver, and her loyal group of friends and family.
Julie Chase kept my attention from the first word. The only thing that kept me from finishing this book in one sitting was that I started it too late in the day.
I will definitely be reading more of Ms. Chase's books.

I did not want to put this one down! Cat Got your Cash by Julie Chase is a second in series that was every bit as good as the first. I loved it. This Kitty Couture mystery was wonderful. It has the right formula for cozy lovers and just a hint of romance mixed in with a whole lot of crazy mystery. This one is set in New Orleans and makes it seem just like you are there. Easy to picture, fun to think about and a great story. I love the main character Lacy, her friends, pets and family. The woman bakes and creates for animals, not truly going out of her way to be a super sleuth but she is "nosy" for sure. I enjoy this series and book two was great. I can not wait for you to read it.